The Illegal Grail War
by ArmoredCoreNineBall
Summary: During their time with Clock Tower, Rin and Shirou suddenly found themselves with a unexpected vacation. The duo travel to Academy City, unaware of a plot to force a Holy Grail War within the City of Science. With servants forced upon them, they take up the hospitality of a certain unlucky high-school student as they quickly realize something much more sinister is brewing.
1. The City of Science

**Alright, I'm here with another new story.**

 **I won't lie; I only started investing my time into the fate series rather recently, but I really got into it. I went looking through some other fanfiction stories for the series and saw some good ideas, but most of those ended up being either being underwhelming or abandoned... so i figured i'd try my hand at it.**

 **Also: I figured that it would mix well with the universe of Toaru, and thus this story was born!**

 **It has a slow start as the plot begins toe establish itself, but i hope you can stick around and see it to the end!**

 **For reference: This story takes place Post-Unlimited Blade Works Route for Fate/Stay Night, and After the Othinus arc but before the Magic God Invasion/World Rejecter Arc.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

There really wasn't much of an explanation as to why Clock Tower decided to close its doors. Though temporary, the decision came out of nowhere, and several rumors spread. Some say there was some kind of explosion, a student's experiment gone mad, or even some kind of rift into hell itself that had erupted below the organization's own halls.

Regardless, Clock Tower was closed down, at least for its student population. They gave the notice that it would only be two weeks, and students were allowed to stay in their lodgings during the time, but staying still and doing nothing for two weeks didn't seem to suit one couple living together; it didn't even sound like a good idea to them.

So when one brought up the idea for a romantic getaway, the other jumped at the chance and took it.

It didn't even occur to him that the location of this romantic getaway was the absolute polar opposite of the world of magic.

 **-Academy City, Airport, District 22-**

"…Tohsaka-san, I know this is the place you wanted to go here specifically… but…" A red-haired man with golden-brown eyes of about nineteen years old said as he exited the airport, carrying luggage with a woman of roughly the same age with wavy black hair and aqua-colored eyes. "…Looking around, plus that information we were given on the flight in… I'm starting to have my doubts about this place."

"What's wrong, Emiya-kun?" The woman responded. "Little Shirou isn't scared of a little futuristic action, are you?" she mocked. The male narrowed his eyes.

"…I should be asking you that." Shirou responded. "I still remember the Blu-ray player incident, Rin."

"S-shut up!" Rin blushed red. "B-besides, I was fine after you showed me how to use it right? Way I see it, this entire city can be under my feet as long as I can figure it out, it's like an adventure of learning!"

"…Fits the surroundings I guess, it is called Academy City after all, city of science and school." Shirou replied. An idea popped into his head as they walked. "…Rin-chan." He called out in an overly pleasant tone.

"Hmm? What is it?" Rin replied.

"You didn't ask me to come with you… just so I can figure out everything for you… right?" Shirou asked in a just as cheerful but somehow more menacing tone.

"…W-well…"

"Right?" Shirou repeated.

"D-don't get the wrong idea here…" Rin took a step back.

"…Right?"

"F-fine! You win! You're better with technology with me so I wanted you to help me, is that so wrong!?" Rin shouted.

"No, but lying about it is." Shirou replied. Rin felt like a dagger hit her in the heart as her ego deflated in defeat. "I don't mind either way. You could have just been honest though; don't you trust me?"

"…Of course I trust you, sorry Shirou-kun." She huffed out, still blushing red. She shrieked when Shirou suddenly picked her up and put her over his shoulder. "H-hey! What the hell are you doing Shirou!?"

"Protection of valuable goods; never know who will run off with a valuable gem." Shirou replied, causing Rin to turn an even deeper shade of red.

"W-what kind of punishment is this!? I can walk myself, put me down!" Rin demanded.

"I'll put you down when we get to the car. Hopefully you'll learn your lesson." Shirou replied.

"Remember, I'm the master and you're the student here! Stop acting all high and mighty and put me down!" She shouted again. She continued to protest her current condition until they arrived at the car they rented, much to her own frustration.

 **-7 Minutes Later, Driving Around Academy City-**

"…You don't have to give me the cold shoulder this much, Tohsaka-san…" Shirou nervously said. Rin was looking out the car window as Shirou drove, her arms crossed and appearing quite angry.

"If you expect us to just kiss and make up after that, you've got another thing coming. Embarrassing me in public like that…"

"Calm down, there aren't any magus here in Academy City, so all those people are just nameless folk; we'll never see them again." Shirou tried to reassure her, but to no effect. Shirou sighed as he resumed focus on his driving.

"…It really has been awhile since we've been to Japan, huh?" Rin suddenly asked after a short time.

"It has, we couldn't make the trip back last year because of those extra classes that we had to take." Shirou responded. "Do you think we have enough time to swing through Fuyuki City on our way back?"

"A night or two there shouldn't put any unnecessary strain on us." Rin replied. "I'm sure Sakura misses you."

"And I'm sure she misses you too. Ignoring adoptions and all, she is still your sister."

"Oh, I remember. I just recall her being rather infatuated with you is all; I even recall her admitting being more than a little jealous of us." Rin continued. "I wonder if Shirou-kun would be able to contain himself if he was left alone with Rin-sama's willing little sister…" she spoke in a coy tone, causing Shirou to blush.

"Hey, don't joke about that!" Shirou replied. "Emiya Shirou isn't a cheater and you know that."

"It's not cheating if Rin-sama allows it, right? Just be sure to let me have my own fun too and we will see where it goes…" Rin smiled coyly.

"…Listen here, there is teasing, then there is giving false hope. And you're walking that very fine line a little too recklessly for my taste." Shirou replied. Rin laughed.

"I got you that well huh? Did you actually think you had an opportunity for the one true male fantasy of two women at once? Sisters no less?" Rin joked.

"…Shut it." Shirou looked at the road, still blushing red. Rin rubbed his back.

"Consider us even for earlier then." Rin smiled and reclined in her seat. Shirou sighed. "So, we have this huge city of scientific wonders all around us, where do you want to go?"

"I figured you had the master plan on the stops." Shirou replied. "I don't know this place very well."

"I do have my own places I want to visit, but I figured that a good apology would be to go wherever you want to go for the first day." Rin replied.

"Only real places I'd even want to visit around here would be the shopping areas, and maybe the arcades. I hear they are both top notch around here."

"Arcade, huh? You never struck me as a gamer." Rin replied.

"Not really; only real stuff I followed was a few fighting games. I pick up most of everything used or broken stuff that I could fix up. But I have a few good memories when I was younger visiting an arcade, so I figured it'd be a nice way to revisit them."

"I see… revisiting some good childhood memories, wish I could do the same, I was sheltered for a good portion of my life." Rin looked out the window.

"Then let's make some good memories for you here then." Shirou replied. "Those are the only two things I can think of that sound good to me; after that, you're in charge Tohsaka-sama."

"Keep that sarcasm in check." Rin warned. "I don't know… lets throw caution to the wind and explore as much as we can! Does that feel like a good idea to you?"

"Sounds like a plan to me. It's a big city and there's only one way to check it out after all." Shirou replied.

 **-Underground Shopping Mall, District 15-**

"I… didn't expect you to… get that good so fast." Shirou mumbled in a defeated tone. They had just spent about an hour at a nearby arcade.

"Are you sure you don't want to go another round? I had trouble at first, but once you know the controls it's really easy!" Rin seemed extremely proud of herself as they walked in the underground mall. "Shirou, are you ok? You didn't get sick did you?"

"N-no, I'm fine!" Shirou replied, trying to hide the fact that his pride has been shattered. "Let's see… where to go next…" Shirou looked around, and then looked back at Rin, who seemed to of stopped walking and was staring at some kind of advertisement on the side of an electronics store.

"…Emiya-kun." Rin called out. "What… is a cell phone…?"

"…Please tell me you're joking." Shirou sighed. Rin immediately turned red.

"W-wait! Give me a chance… I know that cells are what make up everything… so… have they finally invented a telephone so small that it's invisible to the naked eye…? I wonder how the cables work… who would want something so small?" Rin thought out loud.

"…A cellular phone is just like a normal phone, but its wireless. They are battery powered, and sure they are small, but not THAT small." Shirou sighed.

"Wireless? Then how does what you say into it get from place to place?" Rin asked, still confused.

"The phone sends out a signal that bounces to cell towers, that then transmit your signal to where you're trying to call, it's not that complicated." Shirou answered.

"That sounds… like it would take a long time though…" Rin commented.

"…You are truly a girl designed for the past, aren't you?" Shirou commented, angering Rin.

"D-don't look down on me like that!" Rin shouted, turning away.

"…Would you want one?" Shirou asked.

"Why would I want a useless device!?" Rin shouted.

"You just seemed interested… oh, they're having a special." Shirou looked at the advertisement. "For any pair of contracts, phones are buy one get one free…"

"…So if we were both to get one, we'd get some kind of discount?" Rin asked carefully, trying not to embarrass herself further.

"Yeah, a big one. High-end cellphones aren't cheap; a buy one get one free special is big."

"I... if you want one, I-I don't mind being the other half so you can take advantage of the deal." Rin crossed her arms.

"…You know, it'd be better for you if you were more honest." Shirou replied.

"F-Fine!" Rin shouted. "I want one, ok!? Are you happy!?"

"Yeah, I like it when you're more honest with yourself, makes you look more mature than you already are." Shirou smiled. Rin turned an even deeper shade of red and started to push Shirou inside.

"S-shut up and let's get this over with, you idiot!" Rin shouted as they entered the store.

 **-Academy City Riverside-**

The couple walked along the coast, eventually finding a patch of grass that was mostly flat. Across the river was a similar location. After their trip to the store, they wandered the mall on their little adventure, spending much more time there due to the vast amount of goods to look through. They eventually found a place to have dinner, and before long Rin suddenly said she wanted to see the river that travels through Academy City.

"I'm surprised they left this part all grass." Rin commented.

"Maybe they intended to pave it, and just decided the more natural coast banks look better?" Shirou replied. "Even a futuristic city like this one needs a little bit of natural beauty too, I guess."

"It certainly does look nice, contrasting new and old and all. Plus, star gazing on a grassy field is the best!" Rin abruptly fell on her back, looking up into the sky.

"Old school entertainment, huh?" Shirou smiled, sitting down next to her. "I'm surprised we can even see the stars here, are we that far away from the city lights?"

"We must be closer to some of the residential districts. They probably have much less lighting so people can sleep easier." Rin surmised. The two relaxed by the shore for a time.

"I still feel like something is off about this city." Shirou said. "But… I can't deny that I'm having a good time. Maybe it's that feeling that it's a fun place to visit but not to live."

"We are both used to Clock Tower; it's kind of tough to adjust from being in a place that celebrates magecraft to a place that seems to be completely against it." Rin sat up. "But… it's nice to be able to just relax and just be people every once in a while." The two shared each other's company for quite some time before something happened to interrupt their peace.

A boy of about sixteen years old with spikey black hair slid down the side of the bank, landing on the flat portion and started running. They didn't think much of it until a bolt of lightning shot out from just over the bank and hit the ground in front of him. Shortly after, a girl of about fourteen years old slid down the bank as well, seemingly chasing after the boy.

"Oh come on! I just got discharged from the hospital last week!" The boy shouted as he turned to face his pursuer.

"Stop whining, you know you can handle it!" The girl shouted back.

"That doesn't mean I want you throwing lighting-flavored death at me! Me being able to stop it doesn't make it any more pleasant!" The boy shouted back, and the girl started to spark with electricity.

"…A magus?" Rin asked.

"In Academy City? I doubt it… plus she's so young… even if she was a magus, amassing that much power would be way out of a young girl's league, right?" Shirou questioned.

"It would depend on the family… but that is unusual…" Rin questioned. "…It must be one of those espers we heard about when we flew in." As they spoke among themselves the duo across the river continued to shout at each other.

"H-hey! No need to spark everywhere, Misaka! Y-you already beat me, remember!?" The boy slowly stepped back, away from the girl.

"That was a hollow victory… and because you picked today of all days to make me mad…!" The girl gathered a large surge of electricity in her right hand and threw it; the surge forming into a beam of pure electrical power, flying straight toward the boy. Shirou stood up, preparing to step in, but stopped when the blast of lightning actually hit the boy.

Or at least, tried to anyway.

The boy threw out his right hand in front of him, and the blast smashed into it. Sparks flew everywhere, but after a short time, a shattering sound was hard. In an instant, the electricity vanished without a trace.

"…Misaka, seriously, I don't have time for this right now! If I'm home any later, Index will kill me!" The boy called out, despite his apparent ease at dealing with such a violent assault.

"…So die to her, or die to me! I guess you have to pick one!" The girl called out, unleashing more electricity, which the boy blocked again with his right arm. After the assault, the boy ran, despite the shouting girl who was now chasing him once more. It wasn't long before they were out of sight. Several flashes of light could be seen over the bank for quite a while; their fight was far from over it would seem.

"…What was with that?" Shirou asked, confused.

"Sounds like a lovers quarrel to me. No idea what it was about though." Rin replied.

"Seems a bit more intense than just a lovers quarrel…" Shirou scratched his head. Rin shrugged.

"Maybe that's just how they handle it here. Apparently ten percent of the population is an esper in this city, so maybe that's just how espers settle things with other espers."

"…That makes me more than a little better about the fact that we won't be here for a significant amount of time. I'd hate to have to settle little conflicts like that." Shirou commented. Rin stood up.

"Duels between magus aren't that uncommon, but are more for official disputes rather than relationship problems." Rin started to walk up the river bank. "I think it's time we found ourselves a hotel or something, it's getting late." Shirou nodded and followed her as they began their search for a place to stay.

 **-District 3, Hotel, Floor 4-**

"The air in here feels so nice!" Rin practically cheered as she walked into their room, setting their luggage and purchases inside the room.

"It really seems like this place really goes out of its way to make people feel comfortable. You definitely found us a high class place, Tohsaka-san." Shirou commented. "The bed are super soft… you sure one for the two of us is fine?"

"Of course, I made sure that they gave us a large one and a good sized room with it, but that's not all…" Rin knelt down and opened up a mini-fridge, and pulled out a wine bottle. "Tada! I figured since you wanted a little bit more romance earlier, a little bit of this might help set the mood. Better late than never, right?"

"Little bit devious tonight, aren't you?" Shirou commented.

"Drinking age may be twenty here, but as you can see, a little bit of convincing can go a long way." Rin replied. "They must have just put this in… it's not very cold yet. The others I requested are probably the same way too..."

"I think I saw an ice machine downstairs. I can grab us a bucket or two of ice we can use to chill it." Shirou replied. "I have to make sure everything is right so you can get nice and comfortable, right? It's no fun if only one of us is in the mood."

"Oh my, just what are you expecting from this? Hmm?" Rin asked with a coy smirk.

"Not really expecting anything… think of it more like trying to earn it." Shirou replied.

"Trying to earn it huh? I think you're starting to understand women a little bit better." Rin commented, kissing Shirou on the cheek. "I'm going to take a shower, take your time. We have all night just for you and me."

 **-Undisclosed Location-**

"Finally… I have everything I need…" A man in his mid-twenties said to himself as he set up a magic circle. He had jet-black hair and bright blue eyes, his outfit consisting of white pants and a black top, both of which looked rather impressive. His name was Hayden Avalon.

"Add the marks here… the symbols here… and it is now complete!" He said, standing back to admire his work. It was a large and very detailed magic circle. The area around him seemed to be arranged in a way to prioritize air flow, as he appeared to be in a very open area. "Finally… using the elements that this very city of scientific sin has created, I can put a stop to it."

He motioned his arms and the air flow increased. The ground below his feet rumbled a bit as the mage prepared himself.

"I know all of your secrets… Aleister Crowley. And I know one force you won't be able to stop. The absolute power of a god." He mused to himself as the air died down. "That's why Othinus was such a threat to you, right? So much so that you couldn't engage her directly. But with her effectively out of the picture, I know the perfect way to punish you…" The man once again motioned his hands as he gathered his mana, preparing for a spell of some kind.

"Something that not even you can deny. The power created from a Holy Grail War! And I'll bring it right to your face, you waste of human space. And when I'm crowned as its victor, I'll wipe everything you've created off the face of the earth, and take my own place in the realm of the gods!"


	2. Illegal

**Chapter Two is coming alive! Still a tad bit on the slow side, but it will pick up after this.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Words couldn't describe how long he had been waiting for this day.

Hayden had made other attempts; different materials, different locations. They all failed. But now he was sure it would succeed here. In the den of magic's greatest enemy, he would force the start of a Holy Grail War, which he would win, and in his eyes, purify the world with its power.

To him, science itself was blasphemy; a corrupt power that perverts all who study and practice it. Those part of its system were already lost; better to free them from the corruption in death rather than let them bathe in it in a life of sin. But that wasn't the end of it.

With the Holy Grail's power, not only would he wipe the world clean of its sins, he would make sure no one would go down those forbidden paths by ascending to godhood himself. By becoming an undeniable almighty power, he could guide the world in the direction he wished, to make the world perfect by his own definition.

So he would take on the challenge of starting his Grail War in the capital of science, knowing full well that it is run by the most powerful magician in the world, Aleister Crowley.

But, even here where his bravery alone helped him infiltrate and survive, his rituals, spells, and attempts seemed to fail. He tried for what felt like hours, despite little time actually moving. He strained his muscles, his voice, and his mana attempting to make it happen.

But it failed. He had the way ingrained in his mind, he felt like he was missing something, but he could never figure out what. It nagged at him constantly. To him, everything was correct, so he figured danger and desire for survival would be enough; he was wrong.

He cursed every god that he knew. He even cursed Aleister himself; somewhere in his mind he thought that somehow Aleister himself was interfering with his work; forcing it to fail.

But in fact, it was the exact opposite.

He felt a surge of mana within himself, and what felt like a wave enveloping him from every direction. And finally, a burning sensation in his right hand.

A command seal formed. He was ecstatic, he felt like screaming to the heavens for joy, but was interrupted by a blond man wearing a full set of golden armor. The man looked down upon Hayden with his blood red eyes and spoke only once.

"Are you the one who summoned me?"

 **-Windowless Building-**

"Are you sure this is wise?" A man spoke over what seemed like a phone. He spoke to a man who hung upside down in fluid in the center of a room where everything around him appeared to be circuitry. This man looked like he was both young and old, man and woman, and appeared to be both a saint yet also a criminal. This man was Aleister Crowley; the General Superintendent of Academy City; its leader and founder.

"You know little for my plan or my intentions here; yet you question my decision?" Aleister asked quietly.

"I felt the shockwave from here, you know. I don't know much about this Holy Grail War, or whatever it is; all I know is about granting wishes and summoning people. Is that really worth putting everything you've built in jeopardy?" The man asked.

"I have already made the alterations; whatever happens here will be within acceptable limits." Aleister answered. "As for your other inquiry… no; I am not after such a device as the Holy Grail. The prospect of altering the world with such a thing for one's own selfish desires doesn't interest me in the slightest."

"…Then why not only allow it to happen, but actually help him? He seeks our destruction." The man asked once more. Aleister's face merely formed into a smile.

"It's simple; I have no desire for the Holy Grail… but the ones who choose to seek it are a different matter entirely."

 **-District 7; Apartment Complex-**

"When is Touma getting home…? It's been hours…" A silver-haired girl with green eyes wined. Her name was Index Librorum Prohibitorum, but most people only called her Index. She rolled around the floor in her nun's outfit. "I think he got attacked by that short-haired girl again… I'm going to be mad if she destroyed the food he was supposed to be buying!"

"You know how his life goes." Another girl spoke. This girl was in a very revealing outfit with a cape; also accompanied by a witch's hat, and had long blond hair, and emerald green eyes. However, this girl's most notable features were that she could apparently fly, and she was only fifteen centimeters tall. Her name was Othinus, a Magic God. But due to circumstances, she has lost most of her power and has been reduced to such a tiny size. "Why are you complaining? You just ate."

"But I'm still hungry!" Index wined. "Maybe I can get Touma to make some pasta! Or fried chicken! Or… both!" Index smiled gleefully, imagining a feast.

"Gluttony is a sin very unbecoming of a nun." Othinus commented.

"That sounds like envy to me, being unable to eat something as small as a cookie without filling up before it's even half gone!" Index shot back.

"Least I get stuffed. Every single time. Absolute satisfaction." Othinus replied.

"Hoho… you should worry about yourself then! Someone as small as you could probably chub up really fast!" Index said.

"My physical form is an unyielding constant; everything I eat is turned into mana." Othinus replied. "…The same can't be said for you though; I noticed your butt looking a little more plush than usual."

"What!? It is not!" Index shouted back, checking herself out. When she heard Othinus laugh, she knew she had been had. She puffed up immediately in a form of anger then turned her attention back to the TV in front of her.

"…So does that mean I win?" Othinus asked.

"Be quiet!" Index shouted, somewhat embarrassed. She focused on the TV for a time, until she felt a burning sensation on her hand. "O-ow!" She held it reflexively.

"The tea is still hot; did you burn yourself again?" Othinus called out.

"N-no! I wasn't even touching it." Index replied. She pulled back her hand when the burning stopped. A command seal had formed on Index's hand.

"…Weird mark. Instant Tattoo? I Didn't take you for that kind of person." Othinus asked, standing on Index's shoulder.

"No… if I didn't know better… I'd say these marks were…" Index trailed off in thought. The both of them heard a new voice speak up behind them.

"Excuse me…" The voice spoke in a very pleasant female tone. "Would one of you two happen to be my master?" Behind them was a woman with red eyes and long white hair. She wore an elegant but somewhat revealing dress with overly large sleeves that reached down somewhat to the floor, but she had her arms crossed so more of her body was covered.

"A-A servant!?" Index stammered out. Othinus appeared confused.

"Indeed! I am your Caster-class servant, Irisviel von Einzbern." She greeted, then immediately covered her mouth. "I-I was supposed to confirm who my master was before announcing my name… oh no…! P-please forget you heard that!" She nervously tried to cover-up her mistake.

"You're actually only supposed to reveal your name to your master in private as well." Index commented. Caster's mood seemed to dampen.

"I-I see… This is my first time as a proper servant… so…" Caster now seemed incredibly nervous, being in unfamiliar settings.

"First time…? That's weird… but you're a Caster so that probably a good thing when paired with me…" Index thought out loud. "…Wait! I don't have mana to do a summoning! And I didn't do a summoning ritual in the first place!"

"It appears you do have mana inside of you; it just might be… cut off by something? It seems you actually have a rather sizeable storage to me." Caster seemed to inspect Index all over.

"Makes sense. Someone who could hold all 103,000 of those Grimoires would definitely be a threat; no wonder they tried to fix it so you couldn't use magic and needed your memory erased every year." Othinus commented.

"I don't need a reminder, thank you!" Index replied.

"But… as you said; you didn't summon me?" Caster asked.

"No… I was just relaxing when I suddenly got a Command Seal." Index held out her hand to Caster.

"Odd… we do seem to be linked via a summoning ritual… but you didn't perform the summoning?" Caster commented, putting her hand to her chin, thinking. "Come to think of it… it seems we're linked from the start, no need to accept each other…"

"…I need an explanation." Othinus asked simply, sitting on Index's shoulder once more.

"Oh! Of course, you weren't awake when the Grail Wars started. Sorry!" Index apologized. "Basically, magicians or magus, depending on the term you wish, summon servants who are significant figures in history to fight over the Holy Grail, which can grant a wish… but these circumstances are very weird… and I don't recognize your name, Caster."

"Maybe she's recent then." Othinus hypothesized.

"I'd… have to get ahold of a calendar of some kind if you want an exact date…" Caster commented. "But… these circumstances are extremely odd… makes sense why I would be summoned for a Grail War though; such a thing would normally be impossible for me."

"…I see." Index crossed her arms. "So… I was not only selected to be a master… but had my servant summoned for me by an outside force… that's what it seems like…" As Index thought a knock came from the door to the apartment.

"Hey, Index! Othinus! I'm back! Can one of you come and open the door? I picked up a lot!" A male voice sounded. Index immediately started to panic.

"O-oh no! Touma!" She got up and started looking around frantically. "This is bad... we need to find a hiding place for you Caster!" Index looked back at Caster and she was gone, but Index suddenly heard Caster's voice.

"As a Caster, I have access to a spirit form by default… but may I ask why I must be hidden?" Caster asked in her incorporeal form.

"I-I'll explain later! Just please stay hidden!" Index fanatically replied, opening the door, letting in a sixteen year old boy with spikey black hair, who seemed to be carrying a large number of grocery bags.

"T-Thanks!" The boy said, stepping inside and moving toward the kitchen. He set some of the bags down, some on the counter top and some on the floor. "I figured you would have emptied the fridge while I was gone, so I opted for a full restock." He said, and suddenly realized what he accused Index of doing and regretted his choice of words. Before he could apologize, Index spoke.

"W-Welcome home, Touma!" Index greeted nervously. "I-I missed you! Thank you for buying the groceries!"

"…Y-you're not mad?" Touma asked.

"N-Not at all! I did empty the fridge and ate everything after all!" Index replied.

"…Are you ok? Normally you'd be biting me for that." Touma asked. Index shook her head quickly.

"N-no! I'm perfectly fine!" Index replied. Then a loud groan came from Index's stomach.

"…Alright I get it. Food first, punishment later." Touma sighed. "Such misfortune… what do you want?"

"Y-yeah! I'm just hungry!" Index replied. "Could you… make some pasta? I don't really care what kind!"

"Sure, just remember that I want some too, ok?" Touma said sternly. Index nodded and agreed without a problem. "Alright, let me find the stuff in these bags and put the rest away… let's see…" Touma began digging through the bags, looking for some sauce he could use.

That's when Caster materialized again, much to Index's horror, inside the kitchen. Somehow doing so soundlessly, she opened one of the kitchen cupboards and pulled out a pot, one that could be used to boil noodles for pasta, and set it down in the sink, and then promptly de-materialized once more. Touma couldn't find the pasta sauce, but noticed the pot in the sink. He checked it out to make sure it was clean, but decided to wash it quickly anyway.

"C-Caster… what are you doing…!?" Index whispered.

"He seemed to be having trouble, so I figured I'd do a little to help." Caster replied, whispering into Index's ear in her spirit form. Before Index could protest, Touma spoke up again as he finished cleaning the pot and began filling it with water.

"Man… maybe I should put some of this stuff away beforehand. It'll be easier then." Touma then began digging around on the bags on the floor. One of the bags ripped open and an apple rolled along the floor, along with a few other fruits, and Touma chased after them. During this brief time Caster reformed once more and picked out a jar of sauce and moved it to the bag that had just ripped, vanished again. Touma put the fruits on the counter top and went back to the bag.

"C-Caster… p-please stop tempting fate…!" Index whispered nervously.

"I don't remember this being here… oh well." Touma picked up the jar and set it next to the sink, then went back to finding things to put away. Caster once more appeared and moved the pot full of water over to the oven top and started it, before once more disappearing. Touma heard the noise of the oven starting up and looked, but Caster was already gone. "…That's… weird. Index, did you start the oven?"

"Y-yes! I j-just came back out really quickly because I don't want to get in your way!" Index hastily replied. Touma looked at her and smiled.

"Its fine, you can go back to watching TV if you want. I can handle this." Touma said before resuming putting stuff away, shifting over to the counter top. Index sighed in relief but started to freak out again when Caster once more appeared, pulling a box of noodles out of the groceries on the counter floor, and opened it, sliding the hard noodles into the put as the water started to boil. Unfortunately, Touma heard all of this, and smiled again.

"Listen, I know you're trying to help and you just want it faster, but I can handle it. Go sit down." He reached to where he thought Index's head would be to pat her, but felt something soft instead, and round. Confused he grabbed ahold of it and heard a feminine whine. Further confused, he looked over to his right.

There he saw Caster, who was blushing red, and his hand on her right breast.

After a moment, Touma shouted in a panic, pulling back his hand.

"S-sorry! I didn't mean to! I thought you were someone else!" Touma shouted, before suddenly shaking his head. "Wait a second, who are you!? You weren't in here earlier! Is someone invading my apartment again!?"

"Caster! I warned you! I don't want him involved!" Index shouted.

"I just figured it best to leave a good first impression, so I helped him out a bit. If he lives here with you, I don't think I'd be able stay hidden from him forever, so I figured it best to make a good impression then introduce myself… it's just… I didn't mean to be found… like that…" Caster replied, blushing red.

"…Involved? Spirit form?" Touma looked back and forth between Caster and Index. "…What is going on?"

"Might as well tell him. He's going to find out anyway." Othinus spoke up at last, standing on Index's head. Index sighed.

"I guess…. Um... Touma?" Index called out as she tried to figure out how to begin. "Um… are… you aware of those old stories about the Holy Grail?"

 **-District 3, Hotel, Floor 4-**

"What's taking him…?" Rin thought to herself. She was reading in bed, waiting for Shirou to return. She was currently wearing a bathrobe to cover herself, and not much else. "Maybe he got lost…? Or maybe the ice machine is busted and he's fixing it? That would be something he'd do, for sure… but still…" Rin turned a page in her book as she continued to think.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt a burning sensation on her right hand.

"Ow! What the hell?" She shouted, looking at her hand. She saw a familiar sigil of a Command Seal on the back of her hand. "Oh no… no no no… not now…!" Rin lamented. "There's nothing I would want after seeing what happened before… why would I be chosen again…!?" She thought, but quickly shook her head and tried to focus on her book. "It doesn't matter… it can be years before another war starts right? Shirou-kun and I can have our night of passion together, and then we can figure it out later… yeah; I won't let whatever this is about ruin one of the few nights we can spend together!"

"You… and Shirou?" Rin heard a familiar female voice. She looked up from her book to see a girl with blond hair tied up in a bun and green eyes. The girl wore a blue and silver armor set, and seemed to look very confused.

"…Saber?" Rin asked.

"…Rin?" Saber replied.

There was a sudden silence before screaming commenced.

"W-what are you doing here, Saber!?" Rin shouted.

"I-I was summoned! Why did you summon me, Rin!?" Saber replied.

"I didn't summon anyone! I was just here reading while I was waiting for Shirou-kun to come back!" Rin replied.

"…So Shirou is here as well?" Saber asked. "Why are you waiting for…?" Saber then finally got a good look at what Rin was wearing, and immediately turned red without changing facial expression. "I-I see… so you were… planning on… doing that… with Shirou then... p-pardon my intrusion…" Before Rin could reply to try to defend herself, knocking came at the door.

"Hey, Tohsaka-san! Are you ok?" It was Shirou, sounding worried, though Rin didn't know why.

"Oh no! Saber. Bathroom! We can try and figure this out later!" Rin tried to whisper. Saber only nodded her head and raced for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Rin tried to get back into position. "I-I'm fine Emiya-kun! Feel free to come inside!"

Shirou quickly opened the door and raced in, panting as if he had be running.

"I'm glad you're ok…" Shirou said. Rin cocked her head to the side.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Rin asked. Just then something materialized right next to Shirou. The person was a man, just as tall as Shirou. He wore a red hooded cloak that went down his back, and wore a black chest plate of sorts, a black shirt under it with black gloves, black and silver pants and boots, and had a full gun holster on his belt. His face was completely wrapped up in bandages except for his eyes. His arms were crossed as if he was waiting for something. "Who… are you?"

"Assassin." The sprit replied.

"This… is what's wrong…" Shirou replied, pointing at Assassin. Rin looked between the two and quickly figured out what happened, sighing in complete disappointment.

"You got to be kidding me… You too, huh…?" Rin replied.

"…This is bad, isn't it?" Shirou replied.

"So much for a romantic night, huh…?" Rin sighed. "Saber, you can come on out now." Shirou looked around confused as Saber exited the bathroom.

"…Shirou." Saber greeted. "I wish… that the circumstances for our reunion could have been better." Shirou looked back and forth between Saber and Rin, before he sighed himself.

"Just… what the hell is going on here…?" He said as he rubbed his head as his mind was strained by the confusion.

But these three above are not only the ones confused by suddenly gaining a Heroic Spirit. Four more are just as confused as to why they are now a master and what exactly is happening.

Seven Masters, Seven Servants, Seven Classes. Plus one more that was pulled by association with the Grail to Hayden's side, making it eight.

Whatever was going on, it wasn't going to be resolved after just one fight, or just one night.

* * *

 **I know it's not a normal Heroic Spirit summoning... but I figured it'd be interesting to see servants forcefully summoned for people; adds a bit of mystery to the mix.**

 **I don't do end-card author's notes, but I figured I'd address that since it seemed unusual. I hope you liked it!**


	3. Investigation

**And now we start digging into the meat of things...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"So… all that we know is that we've been chosen as masters and that our servants were apparently chosen for us, rather than us needing to have something related to them…" Shirou thought out loud as he walked down the street. He was accompanied by both Rin and Saber. Assassin was there as well, but he could maintain a spirit form, unlike Saber. They were walking around in the daylight hours, deciding it to be best to start with a fresh start of a day.

"That appears to be the case." Saber commented. "The situation is strange; something like this has never happened before."

"Abnormalities of this nature are usually rather small." Rin said with her arms crossed. "It would be a safe assumption that this is probably limited to the city limits… at least I think. Shirou and I were probably selected because we are the only actual magus in Academy City at this time. At the most more than likely those picked would have to be espers; their lack of knowledge for what is even happening will be a good advantage to us."

"That is still a problem though… remember that girl from last night? If she got picked, we'd have a tough fight on our hands." Shirou replied.

"Not necessarily. The problem with espers, from what I understand, is that espers only have access to one kind of ability. Depending on how good you are you could do a lot of things with that ability, like using electricity to induce magnetism or something, but in general it's still that one single ability. If we can find them and find a way to counteract their ability, that just leaves their servant. And since espers don't have mana, their servants will be weak. It's just a matter of patience and planning; it will be fine." Rin finished.

"That's… not a bad idea. It makes sense." Shirou replied.

"So… you two are intent on participating on the Grail War then?" Saber asked.

"Not like we have much choice… if one of those espers gets ahold of that kind of power, who knows what could happen. Not to mention how things went last time with Gilgamesh… we have to stop something like that from happening again." Shirou replied.

"I'm just confirming your intentions…" Saber replied, and then smiled. "…Regardless of circumstances, it is good to see you both again. I can tell you both have grown a lot… as well as grown closer." The last comment made both Rin and Shirou turn a shade of red.

"You don't say… figured us out really quick, didn't you?" Shirou rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"S-Sorry about last night… due to our course work at Clock Tower, me and Emiya-kun don't get to spend many of our nights together… so since we had the opportunity…" Rin trailed off.

"N-No! Please, forgive us. I'm sure that if we knew what was happening there would have been something we could have done to… not get in the way of your… erm… courtship." Saber looked away, embarrassed herself.

"A master is close. " Assassin suddenly spoke while still maintaining his spirit form.

"Are you sure?" Shirou asked.

"About fifteen feet ahead, and is approaching quickly. It would be safe to assume that whoever it is, that the person knows you two are masters as well." Assassin replied. Before they could speak further, someone leaped over the crowd of people and landed in front of the group. Most people commented that it must just be an esper and didn't question it further.

The person appeared to be a thin white-skinned boy with a feminine look to him, appearing to be around fifteen to sixteen years old. His clothes were primarily yellow and black, consisting of a tight-fitting shirt and pants as well as a dark stole around his shoulders. He had blue eyes and waist length blond hair. He also wore fingerless gloves, with an unusual marking on its palms, and two belts that cross each other, and his belt buckles appeared to be two goat heads. He stood up fully and the group could see the Command Seal on his right hand. He dusted himself off, and smiled at the group.

"So here's where that trail led me! Glad I wasn't wrong this time around!" The boy said happily. "Man, been trying to track you three down for a while! I guess persistence pays off, huh?" The boy continued in his happy tone.

"Cut the act. What do you want?" Rin sternly demanded.

"Ah, of course! I forgot to introduce myself!" The boy clapped his hands together. "My name is Thor, and as you can probably tell, I'm a master in this Grail War… thing. I don't know many of the details honestly." Thor rubbed the back of his head looking off, as if thinking.

"…You're being more than a little bit friendly for a war like this." Saber commented.

"It's fine, it's fine! It's better if we make sure we get along anyway, right?" Thor waved Saber off and put his hands in his pockets. "It's better that we know each other, so that when we inevitably have to fight, we won't have any regrets. That's what I think anyway… my servant disagrees; he's been kind of hard to keep in spirit form for a while now… heh. He started acting up when I found you guys."

"Acting up…? You can suppress your servant?" Shirou asked.

"Yeah… but he's a handful when he's riled up like this it seems like…" Thor rubbed his neck. "Oh! Before I forget, I'm not actually here about the war-thing. I'm looking for someone kind of specific and I was hoping you could give me a hand!" Thor said.

"…Why would we help you?" Rin asked suspiciously.

"Come on… don't be like that…" Thor replied. "I'm looking for a guy named Kamijou Touma. Have you seen him?"

"Doesn't… ring a bell with me." Shirou replied.

"Really? Looks like he's in high school, black spikey hair, and he seems to have a never-ending assortment of bad things happening to him?" Thor asked again.

"We don't know who you're looking for, now leave us alone." Rin demanded. Thor looked disappointed.

"Damn… you lot seemed on the powerful spectrum of magic, so I was wondering if you knew him. Oh well." Thor shrugged.

"Magic? You know about magecraft?" Shirou asked.

"Yeah, don't you?" Thor replied. "I used to be part of GREMLN you know. Though that incident is still a tad recent… maybe it's on the side of under-reported in an attempt to cover it up…" Thor rubbed his chin in thought.

"So you are a magus then… and you got caught up in this while looking for this Touma?" Saber asked.

"Magus, magician, terminology doesn't matter. But I'm more surprised you haven't heard of him. I hear he's a bit famous amongst the big players of magic from what I'm gathering." Thor replied.

"Who is this Kamijou Touma then?" Rin asked in an annoyed tone. Thor looked at Rin and smiled.

"I'm sure you'll meet him. If we're going to have a Grail War here of all places, it's inevitable that he will get involved at some point. You'll see why he's famous." Thor replied. He then turned around and started to walk away. "See you on the grand battlefield you guys! I look forward to seeing what you can do!" Thor merged with the crowd in front of them, and in a blink of an eye, Thor was gone. Or, more what it seemed like; the place Thor once occupied had been replaced with a woman.

"…Illusion magecraft. He has disguised himself as a girl to try and get away from us." Rin commented.

"I can track him and take him out in the shadows." Assassin commented.

"You probably shouldn't; we should stick together for the time being." Shirou replied. "Right now we have an advantage with all of us together. And it seems like there are magus here in Academy City after all, though it seems like they are in the same boat as us."

"Here for personal reasons and having their time interrupted by another conflict." Rin sighed. "Just our luck…"

"Let's just keep moving. We have a lot of ground to cover, even with Assassin able to detect other masters." The group then moved forward in an attempt to find anyone and everyone who might have gotten forcefully dragged into this conflict.

 **-Academy City Streets, 8:37PM-**

"K-Kamijou-san… I know that I said it would be best to go out at dusk and for me to accompany you both in my physical form… but are you sure you don't have any bigger clothes…?" Caster asked as she walked with Index and Touma. Caster was currently wearing a set of Touma's clothes in an attempt to blend in. However, Touma's clothes were designed for a sixteen year old teenager, not a full-figured adult woman, making it rather tight in select places.

"You're the one who insisted on being out and about like normal people. It's the best I could do without getting measurements for you. You can go into spirit form whenever you want, right? Why not do that?" Touma replied.

"I can… but I can react faster to threats that appear while in a physical form. Plus, while I have some sensory abilities as a spirit, I can detect mana in a much wider radius while on the physical plane; in a Holy Grail War we need as much information as possible." Caster replied.

"…It's that big of a deal, huh?" Touma replied. "Such misfortune… I'm not against getting you some clothes that actually fit… but I just don't have the money right now after buying all that food…"

"I have enough for a set of clothes, don't worry." Index replied.

"…Then why didn't you say that earlier when we were trying to find something for Caster!?" Touma shouted.

"I have to think about it very carefully! It's my special fund from the church! It has to be an emergency!" Index shouted. Just as she finished her retort, the highest button on the top they gave Caster popped off, showing more than a little bit of cleavage, much to Caster's own embarrassment as she tried to cover herself. "…And I think that qualifies as an emergency."

"…Oh I get it, you're jealous of her, aren't you?" Touma asked.

Index leapt through the air and bit down on Touma's head in retaliation.

"GAH! I'm kidding I'm kidding! Get off!" Touma shouted in pain. Index hopped off Touma's head as Touma himself rubbed his bite marks.

"I'm… not jealous…" Index replied in an embarrassed tone.

"Fine… I know a place that's open until midnight that sells clothes; we can go there first." Touma said. "If Index covers the costs we can get you something that actually fits, Caster. It won't be fancy of anything, but it will do."

"Oh, I don't mind. Anything you can provide me will be more than enough. It just… needs to fit…" Caster replied. The three continued to move, trying to find a bus station to travel.

They didn't know that they just had been found.

"Three of them, two have mana; one appears to be just a normal human. The woman's signature appears to be a Caster-class servant." Assassin said, now in a much more physical form.

"…Hey, that guy is the boy from last night, Tohsaka-san." Shirou commented.

"No kidding? But Assassin just determined that he doesn't have any mana… so he can't be a master, right?" Rin answered.

"More than likely, if the system prioritizes mana, the nun-looking girl would be the master… but they are following that boy around it seems like… and their Caster is in such ill-fitting garments as well, so it would be safe to assume they are indeed in the same situation as us; if they were prepared, they would have taken care of an issue like that already." Saber whispered.

"…You don't think it could be another Shinji situation, could it?" Shirou asked.

"It better not be… or I'll give that guy hell! I don't care if he's a minor or who sees it!" Rin shouted. Saber seemed to be examining the group further, and came to a shocking revelation.

"Irisviel…!" Saber looked surprised and more than a little bit worried.

"Huh? Who is that?" Rin asked.

"It's their Caster… her name is Irisviel von Einzbern… I believe it was the Fourth Grail War where she pretended to be my master for a strategy… to think that after everything she was put through, she became a Heroic Spirit…" Saber's face turned serious.

"…So she's your friend then… and an Einzbern no less…" Rin eyed the group of three for a time. "…Let's go free your friend from the war then; I'm sure she'll understand in the end." Saber nodded at the suggestion, and the two started to sneak their way around, trying to avoid being seen.

"Be careful! Keep in mind that Assassin already said they probably know we're here!" Shirou whispered as he and Assassin moved to keep up with the women ahead of them. The group kept their distance from Touma's, making sure to stay out of sight.

"…Kamijou-san, we're being followed." Caster said.

"I kind of had a feeling…" Touma replied. "If things go south, I want you two to run."

"What about you, Kamijou-san?" Caster asked.

"I've fought a magician or two in my time; I'll hold them off and we'll meet up later after I lose them." Touma replied. The two groups moved without engagement for a time, Touma's trying to lose their pursuers. Not much worked or even seemed to throw them off. They even made their way to the old switchyard where Touma first fought Accelerator, trying to find a way to give them the slip, but it didn't work.

Eventually, they would have to fight.

And that's exactly what Rin decided to do when she moved out into the street and aimed her arm at Touma's backside, and fired her Gandr blast straight at him.

"Kamijou-san…!" Caster warned.

"Got it!" Touma spun around, confusing Caster as to why Touma would face the attack outright. Touma thrust his right hand outward toward the Gandr bullet, and the moment the blast hit Touma's right hand, it shattered like glass and faded away like nothing had ever been there.

"Just like that girl's electricity from the last night… it works on magecraft too… but he's supposed to be unable to use any form of magic… what's going on?" Rin said to herself.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Touma called out. "What do you want? I'm busy and can't fight a magician right now."

"Magician? He's even familiar with magic…?" Rin asked out loud, and then her expression turned serious as she moved completely out into the open. "I'm here to send that servant of yours back to where she belongs."

"Figured as much…" Touma replied. "Caster, take Index and protect her."

"Be careful Touma!" Index called out as Caster shifted to her proper spirit clothes and lifted up Index, flying backwards a fair distance away.

"Kamijou-san, I'll keep her safe. Don't worry; I'll be close to support when necessary." Caster replied.

"That's fine, but if things look bad, get her out of here! I don't want you two getting hurt!" Touma replied.

'Kamijou… Touma…?' Rin thought to herself before having a revelation. 'This is the guy that Thor was asking about…?' Rin's mind focused again as she fired another Gandr at Touma, which was negated once more by Touma's right hand. The next shot Touma dodged however, running more out into the open. Rin started firing them off like rapid fire as Touma ran, dodging and negating as he moved; eventually starting to move closer.

Touma made his way through Rin's barrage, dodging and negating where he needed too, intent on ending the fight as quickly as possible with his right hand. As he got within striking distance however, white strings of sorts wrapped around Touma's torso and pulled him back. This appeared to be a good thing because just as Touma tried to strike, Saber flew out from behind a train-car and attempted to slice Touma's hand with her sword, currently hidden by Invisible Air.

"I got you, Kamijou-san." Caster said, as she was the one who used the white-strings, which appeared to be parts of her hair enchanted with magic.

"Thanks… that was close." Touma landed on the ground without much issue. Saber then stepped out into the open, along with Shirou and Assassin. "So she has more friends… such misfortune."

"Irisviel!" Saber called out, grabbing Caster's attention. "We don't want to fight! I know how much a Grail War put you through! Please, let us end this now so you can go back to being at peace!"

"…I understand, Saber-san." Caster replied. "I'm sorry… if it was earlier today, I might have accepted that. But… I saw something amazing just now… something that gives me hope for an outcome I've been seeking since I became a spirit." Caster looked determined. "I can't let that slip through my fingers, Saber-san!"

"She… actually wants to participate? Why would she…?" Saber looked more shocked than anything.

"Saber-san, so far nothing has even fazed that right arm of his…" Rin stated. "I need an idea."

"…Caster will support that boy and help him dodge whatever he himself can't. Not many options until Caster herself is dealt with… but at the same time, that Kamijou boy will protect Caster…" Assassin commented, thinking out-loud.

"…I have something that will work." Saber stepped forward and held up her sword, disguised by Invisible Air. In an instant, the Invisible air vanished, Revealing her Nobel Phantasm, Excalibur.

"S-Saber! You're kidding right!? We may be far away from the more crowded city structures, but that attack while wipe out everything in its path!?" Shirou shouted. He could tell something was wrong right away; under normal circumstances, Saber would save Excalibur as an absolute last resort.

Was her desire to make sure Caster did not suffer because of another Grail War really that strong to consider the last resort right away?

"Irisviel… I want to send her back. She can't see what became of the Grail's Contents after what we all saw it do…! I can't let her see that!" Saber shouted as Excalibur started to shine and a bright light erupted from it, shooting into the sky. "I know the lay-out of this city and its perimeter… so I know that if I use it here, I can angle it so it will fly into the sky shortly after impact… trust me! No one innocent will get hurt; the most it will do is damage the wall around the city!"

"Damn it all…" Touma clenched his right hand into a fist.

"Saber-san, you don't understand! Please don't do this!" Caster pleaded as she set Index down and flew backward into the air, in an attempt to lead Excalibur's attack away. But it was too late.

" **Ex… calibur!"** Saber shouted, and swung her sword downwards, unleashing a massive blast of energy that filled the street. True to Saber's word, shortly after discharge it began to lift, as if aiming at Caster specifically.

But not quick enough, as Touma moved forward and the blast quickly met Touma's right arm, and its special ability, Imagine Breaker.

The ability to negate and destroy any supernatural force.

The magical wave of energy smashed into Touma's arm like a tidal wave, causing Touma to grunt in pain. The two forces raged against each other; constantly fighting for dominance.

But there could only be one victor.

And the clash was decided with a loud shattering sound was heard, and in an instant the remainder of the blast was banished from this world; a shockwave erupting out as it's last echoes rang out. The gravel and railways in the path were completely annihilated and earth below was scorched black, but it only traveled so far as Touma's right hand, where it appeared to attempt to wrap around, but failed.

"Impossible…! Just his right hand was enough…!" Saber looked both surprised and angry.

"Y-you've got to be kidding me!? He withstood THAT!?" Rin shouted.

"…It doesn't matter how much power your attack has; if it doesn't have anything else backing it up, my Imagine Breaker will stop it in its tracks." Touma said. "If you want to get to her, you're going to have to get through me! Understand!? If you think I'm just going to stand by and let you hurt people, I'll shatter that illusion of yours!"

"Why you…!" Saber looked angrier than before, looking as if she were about to charge Touma down herself.

"Saber-san, please!" Caster called out as she landed and rejoined Touma. "Please… I have my reasons and I know you're worried that something bad will happen… but I know what I'm doing; please understand!"

"Irisviel…!" Saber gritted her teeth as she debated her options in her mind.

"…He's not going to back down." Assassin suddenly spoke up. "I can deal with the boy if Saber wishes to deal with Caster and her master."

"Are you sure you can disable him?" Shirou asked. Assassin drew a combat knife from a pocket on his pants.

"I can do much more than that." Assassin said as he rapidly sped toward Touma. But before the two could clash, a series of attacks hit the ground in-between them both; so many in fact that trying to reach them would be suicide.

"What's happening!?" Shirou shouted.

"Touma!" Index ran to Touma's side. "We should go! Another servant is interrupting them!"

"You got it. Caster! We're leaving!" Touma said as he picked up Index and ran, seeing as he was faster than her. Caster floated and went after them. Just as the group made a move, a final attack landed and kicked up a dust cloud large enough to completely obscure the groups retreat. When it finally died down enough to where they could see, Touma's group was gone.

"What… just happened!?" Rin shouted.

"An… Archer." Assassin commented. Despite so many attacks hitting the ground, not the trace of a weapon could be found. "That's the mana I'm detecting here. An Archer intervened and seemed to save them."

"So much for putting a spirit down to make the job of figuring this situation out sooner…" Shirou commented. His glance moved to Saber, who was looking at her Excalibur with a face of frustration. "Saber, are you ok?"

"I'm fine… just a bit of hurt pride and missing mana." Saber responded. "To think that they had an ability so powerful that it surpassed Excalibur's might…"

"Close range combat is probably a better option for a weapon… though I question what would happen if his hand gripped Excalibur's blade if you swung it down on him." Assassin commented as he stood up after inspecting the ground thoroughly.

"…Then maybe I'd be a better opponent." Shirou said, activating his Trace and calling two swords to his hands. "I can make these infinitely; if his right hand can negate and destroy magecraft, I can just make more weapons to fight with."

"Basic magic… but it appears you are extremely skilled with it… interesting." Assassin commented. He felt a nagging feeling familiarity in the back of his mind, but he quickly put it down.

"We don't have much choice now… Assassin, can you still track them?" Rin asked.

"They are already out of my range, but I can follow the residual mana and try to figure out where they went. They could have sent out decoys, however." Assassin replied.

"We don't have much other choice. Lead the way." Shirou said as the group moved forward to give chase.

Far way on a building top closest to the switchyard, two people stood, looking on at the location. One was a boy about sixteen years old; the other was a man with a bow.

"Man… you weren't kidding. That was amazing; good job on breaking that up, Archer!" The younger one said. "It's a good thing they didn't get too involved with Kami-yan, who knows what could have happened."

"…I suppose." The older one spoke.

"You sound like you wanted that to continue, nya!" The younger one joked.

"Of course not… my King was out there, after all." The older said. "Let's get going." The older seemed to vanish as the younger nodded and proceeded to re-enter the building to descend it, satisfied that the brief battle was now over.

And that his best friend was safe.

* * *

 **I might lose some people over Touma stopping Excalibur, but hopefully most will see where I'm coming from with this. Only one way to find out I suppose.**

 **I hope you like it! Let me know what you think!**


	4. The Black Knight

**Here's a little bit more for you all.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"We need a plan for when we meet them again." Rin said as the group ran. "It seems like magecraft won't have much effect because of that guy's right arm… we need a new plan of attack."

"Assassin, I think it's time you trailed those trails you spoke of." Shirou asked. "Find out where they went and see if you can guide us there. Don't fight them; we don't know what else they can do."

"If you think that is wise…" Assassin then vanished into his spirit form.

"Now we need a plan… that guy called his ability "Imagine Breaker," what kind of power could that even be…? It seemed really strong; if he had something like that why wouldn't he stand and fight?" Shirou thought out loud.

"Who knows? It really does seem like he and that nun girl with him are in the same boat as us; being thrown in this with no desire for it." Rin replied. "Seems like they just don't want to actually fight to me; but if they wanted out they would have let us take care of Caster…"

"That's another thing… Caster seemed to make a last minute decision to stay in the Grail War, despite not wanting anything to do with it… I wonder why." Shirou commented.

"…She must have a reason." Saber spoke. "She said that she would have let us send her away if it were earlier… something changed her mind; it might even be that boy Touma. It seems that his actions had a profound effect on her."

"She seemed to react when he saw him stop Gandr… maybe she wants Imagine Breaker for something?" Rin questioned.

"I don't even know how she became a Heroic Spirit… what would she want an ability like that? To me it seems to be the polar opposite to the Holy Grail itself." Saber replied.

"…Do you think that could be why she is siding with him then?" Shirou asked. "What exactly happened to her in the fourth war?"

"From what I gather… Irisviel became the Holy Grail itself." Saber said, earning surprised looks form Rin and Shirou. "So… she must have come into contact with the evil nature of the grail's contents… it would explain why she wouldn't want to be involved with the war… but not why she would seek the Holy Grail's polar opposite."

"…It's just an idea, but what if she is after the Grail so she can have that boy destroy it? If she outright became the grail she must know its evil nature, so it would make sense that she'd want to seek its destruction, right? That would put us all on the same side." Shirou said.

"We just don't have all the information… we need to find them again. Whether we end up as allies or enemies depends on when we meet them next." Rin said.

"When we do… let me speak to Caster." Saber said. "I have to know for myself… if she knows exactly what is happening here."

"So next time we see them, let's just talk it out then… if they'll listen anyway." Shirou said. The group continued to run until Assassin appeared before them again, the group halting when he appeared.

"I couldn't track their movements; simply too many decoys sent out. However; I did find a location with large quantities of mana similar to Caster's. The amount there seems to lead me to the conclusions of where she was first summoned. If they are like you both in any way, it would be safe to say it to be their home."

"I see… Caster would have been summoned against her and the master's will in their home while they didn't know any better… can you take us there?" Shirou asked.

"It's close; not even ten minutes away now." Assassin commented.

Well! What do we have here! I didn't think I'd see you again this soon!" A voice called out. A figure stepped out of one of the alleyways, revealing himself to be Thor. "How's it going? It's a bit dangerous to be out at night, you know? This place isn't exactly safe at night."

"Thor… what do you want?" Rin demanded.

"Nothing; I was just doing my searching and saw some familiar faces so I decided to say hello." Thor shrugged as he put his hands in his pockets.

"…Rin-san, we can't let Thor know where Touma is." Shirou whispered. "Thor seems like he just wants to fight; it'd hurt our attempts to talk things out if he tailed us."

"I know… but we don't have time…" Rin replied. Assassin drew a single combat knife from his cloak.

"Then allow me to dispose of him." Assassin said under his breath before charging towards Thor. Just as Assassin would strike, a black mass fell from the sky, landing right in front of Thor, forcing Assassin back to avoid a strike. The black mass broke apart into mist over time, revealing a man in pitch black armor, accompanied by a rustic helmet with a thinly carved slit displaying the ghastly glow of his eyes as they shined a deep red. As time went on it became apartment that the black mist was actually coming from the man's armor itself.

"Ah man… you came in just as things were about to get interesting, Berserker." Thor commented in a sad tone, as if he as actually looking forward to fighting Assassin.

"Berserker…? Must be his servant…" Shirou commented. Saber suddenly looked extremely tense as she drew her sword, once again enveloped in her Invisible Air.

"Not again…!" Saber muttered as she prepared for the worst. A horrible screech of sorts erupted from Berserker's form as he ripped a street sign out of the ground, and in moments it was corrupted and turned black with red cracks throughout it, and then Berserker violently charged towards Saber and slammed the corrupted street sign down on top of her, to which Saber blocked, but the force was enough to break the ground below Saber's feet.

Rin instinctively fired her Gandr into Berserker's back several times; all clean hits. Berserker didn't react however as he continued his assault on Saber. It wasn't like Berserker wasn't affected; it seemed more like he simply didn't care for the damage he received as long as he was able to fight Saber.

"Hey! Call him off!" Shirou shouted.

"Why? Aren't we supposed to be fighting?" Thor replied. "But I am busy… so I guess we can call it off at say… five minutes from now? That seems fair, right?"

Berserker started slamming his weapon down on Saber repeatedly, forcing Saber onto the defensive. Berserker suddenly reached forward, seemingly intent on grabbing the sword out of Saber's hands, but a series of explosives hit him in the side, launching him into a wall. Assassin stood off to Sabers right; holding several pins in his hands, seemingly pulled from the explosives as he threw them at Berserker.

"Assassin! Keep supporting Saber!" Shirou shouted before refocusing his attention on Thor. "I said call him off!"

"Sorry; not possible before the time limit is hit. Besides… like I said, aren't we supposed to be fighting? I can tell you two are romantically involved, so I understand your desire to team up, but that doesn't say anything about me… but I suppose I could transform into her; would that be good enough for you?" Thor joked.

"Shut up!" Shirou shouted back. Thor laughed in response.

"I'm messing with you!" Thor waved Shirou off, who only appeared to get angrier. "Let's see… I suppose if you wanted to bypass the time limit I put, you'd just have to beat me, right?"

"Battle hungry little…!" Shirou grunted. "Fine, if that's how you want it, I'll take you down myself! **Trace On!"** At Shirou's word, two swords formed out of the air and landed in Shirou's hands. Thor looked impressed.

"That's some basic magic… but the quality is impeccable… those might as well be a real deal! Projections as good as the originals… are you some kind of genius or something?" Thor commented. Shirou charged with impressive speed and swung both of his blades down on Thor, who quickly grabbed Shirou's wrists to stop the assault, the pavement beneath them both buckling under the pressure. "And… reinforcement… on your arms… legs… and even the blades too huh… beefing up strength to… 563%? You're driving the basics to unheard of levels… not sure if I should call you a magician or a battle mage!"

Shirou was more than a bit confused as to how Thor had his technique figured out just by feeling it first hand, but it didn't concern him much.

"Keep talking…! I dare you…!" Shirou taunted as he applied more pressure down on Thor.

"I can tell you're super dangerous at close range… but…" Thor abruptly jumped and slammed both of his feet into Shirou's chest, launching him back. He coughed up blood, but recovered well. "I'm just as dangerous… and I don't need reinforcement to pull my strength off… let's see what you can really do!" Thor shouted, with a hint of excitement.

As he finished his sentence, a barrage of Gandr bullets pummeled him, forcing him back as each one hit.

"He's not fighting alone." Rin commented, her arm aimed right at Thor.

"That's… right! Sorry about that; guess I got a little too carried away. Don't worry; I'm more than happy to fight you both." Thor said. The Gandr shots all hit, and caused damage, but oddly this seemed to cause Thor more excitement.

"Is that so?" Rin charged up and fired a Gandr as four times its normal size.

Thor swung his left arm, and the Gandr was torn to pieces. As Thor stood with his left arm extended, blades formed of electric power could be seen extending out from his fingertips; each one about six or seven feet in length. So much power appeared to be packed into them, that electricity arced off them and struck the ground, charring the ground black.

"So… that's your magecraft then." Rin commented as she clicked her teeth.

"That's right! Just as the true Almighty Thor commanded lightning and thunder in Odin's name, so do I!" Thor replied. "Fusion Arc Blades such as this are child's play for me with my electricity control; this isn't even their max length; I can go as long as twenty meters just as I am now."

"Is that so…" Rin bit her lip in frustration. 'Twenty meters… with reach like that he could hit us with them wherever… and coming from each finger makes it incredibly hard to dodge… I didn't want to have to use any of my gems here… but I don't see any other options…!' Rin thought as she calculated her plan of attack. Berserker suddenly flew in-between Shirou and Rin and landed a fair distance away from Thor. Saber stepped forward in front of the two.

"Thank you for your assistance, Assassin." Saber looked fatigued, but it also seemed to be connected to a look of sadness on her face as she faced Berserker.

"I'm only doing what must be done." Assassin replied.

"…Alright, I think that's enough for now." Thor suddenly said, his Arc Blades disappearing. "I don't know if that was exactly five minutes or not… but that was enough fun to satisfy my appetite for now… Berserker, let's go, yeah?" Thor pointed backwards with his thumb. Berserker only screeched louder as he charged forward again. Thor looked surprised then shifted to frustration. He suddenly launched himself forward; shoulder charging into Berserker's back, knocking him to the ground. Thor then pinned Berserker in a hold, as Berserker violently struggled to break free. "Come on big guy… I said its time to go!"

"What… the…?" Shirou seemed surprised to see a master attack his own servant.

"Hey… you guys can go now if you want… I'll… hold him back until he calms down!" Thor said. Berserker briefly broke free and stood up, only to be restrained and held by Thor once more. "Geeze... you're one tough guy, you know!?"

"Should… we?" Shirou seemed confused.

"…We should take the opportunity." Rin decided. 'My brain says to try and attack Thor now… but my instincts are telling me to leave him… what else does he have under his sleeve?' Rin thought. Assassin however, had other plans as he drew a large handgun from its holster on his hip.

"Assassin… what are you doing…?" Shirou questioned.

"Stopping a threat before it becomes serious…" Assassin loaded a single bullet into the gun's chamber and took aim at Thor's head.

"Assassin, stop!" Shirou shouted as he held up his right arm toward him. A red light signed as one of Shirou's command seals activated, effectively stopping Assassin in his tracks. He turned his head toward Shirou with a look of contempt on his face.

"You… can't be… serious…!?" Assassin struggled to say. Thor let out a deep breath.

"Thanks… I owe you." Thor said. "I don't think I can repay you turning this event in our lives… but afterward if you need something, come to me, ok?" Thor sudden shot up into the air; Fusion Arc Blades emanating from his feet, seemingly being the reason they were shot into the air. "Until we meet again! Let's have a longer fight next time! With no restraints!" Thor's body vanished on top of a building, before suddenly becoming visible as they flew further backward; apparently using the tactic again to gain even more distance. It wasn't long before they were completely out of sight. Despite that; Berserker's screeches and roars could be heard long into the night for quite some time.

"There… that's finished…" Shirou sighed.

"What are you doing? I could have taken care of him so he'd be out of the war; isn't that your goal?" Assassin said, turning towards Shirou once he could move again. "Your goal is to save lives from the Grail War, right? He will continue to operate not only against us and hinder our efforts, but very well might win and take the Grail himself.

"You were going to execute him." Shirou replied.

"And?" Assassin asked. "He was an enemy. It's only natural to eliminate them."

"And that gives you the excuse to just shoot him in the head!?" Shirou shouted. Assassin paused for a time.

"…I understand your reasoning, and your ideals. You want to save everyone… but the world doesn't work like that. Some people can't be saved." Assassin stated. "Sometimes; someone has to die so someone else can live. When Thor returns he can end lives… even hers." Assassin nudged towards Rin. "…And yours. You let that be a possibility."

"I get it I get it!" Shirou shouted. "I've heard it before time and time again. But I don't care; I'll save the lives of anyone and everyone I can!"

"Even if it costs you the life of someone you love?" Assassin questioned.

"It won't; I'll make sure of it" Shirou replied.

"Even if it kills you?" Assassin continued.

"I won't die that easy. There is someone specific I have to protect you know."

"And if that person's life were in danger, would you kill the one responsible to save her?" Assassin asked a final time. There was an odd silence in the air that felt like it stretched on for eternity.

"…This discussion is over." Shirou turned and walked away, a noticeable look of anger on his face. Rin quickly hurried after him in an attempt to calm him down. Assassin looked on at the two as they walked.

"…Thank you." Saber suddenly said towards Assassin, who turned to face her. "Without your assistance, Berserker would have overwhelmed me here. And I understand your concerns about those we may face in the future… but…" Saber trailed off, looking away for a time before her eyes met Assassin's. "I would choose your words much more carefully the next time you question another's ideals. Is that understood?" There was a subtle threat in the tone of Saber's voice.

"…I'll keep that in mind. I was just trying to wake him up from that dream of his. Harsh words and situations are just the best way to accomplish it." Assassin replied.

"Don't." Saber stated. "He knows the trials and tribulations he must endure to work for it, and has accepted them whole heartedly. It is simply the way he wishes to live his life; for the sake of others. Everyone has their dreams they wish to follow, either in life or death. As I'm sure you do as well."

"Soft dreams versus a harsh reality. I suppose everyone has their reasons to move on in this world." Assassin said. "I'm not finished yet however… think of it as those trials and tribulations you mentioned before." Assassin began to walk forward.

"What would it take for you to yield?" Saber asked.

"Proof that his way of life has merit, and isn't just an impossible fantasy." Assassin then vanished into his spirit form. Saber was far from satisfied with Assassin's response, but decided to drop the subject and try to catch up to Shirou and Rin.

 **-District 7, Outside Touma's Apartment Complex-**

"And… home… whew…" Touma panted as they got up on Touma's floor. "Not exactly the kind of night we wanted but… well… we made it back all in one piece."

"I suppose we should have thought things through better when it comes to… well… our nightly activities…" Caster said.

"It's fine; a fight was more or less inevitable, right?" Touma replied.

"Are you sure you're ok, Touma?" Index asked. Touma patted her head and gave her a smile.

"I'm fine. It's nothing a little bit of rest can't cure." Touma replied. "We can get Caster some decent clothes tomorrow… and actually be prepared. The sooner that this entire war thing is over the better."

"I couldn't agree with you more." A voice sounded from just below them. Only a fair distance away, Rin stood. Touma's face immediately turned to frustration.

"Oh come on… at least wait until tomorrow, will you? I'm sure we're both tired from having to fight each other…"

"I'm not here about that… now are you going to come down here or what?" Rin asked.

"Last time we were on an even level, you tried to shoot me. Sorry if I feel more comfortable on the high ground." Touma replied.

"Look… ugh." Rin moaned in frustration. "I'm… sorry about the whole shooting you thing… I just want to talk to you!"

"Go away!" Index shouted. "This place is under protection of the Anglican Church! Come any closer and it will be treated as a declaration of war!"

"Y-you're kidding right…!?" Rin replied in disbelief. "That'd be like the British Halloween all over again…!"

"Irisviel!" Saber shouted as she and Shirou suddenly came onto the scene, standing next to Rin.

"Saber-san…" Caster replied with a hint of nervousness.

"Can you… please come down here? If you can't, I can come up and meet you if you wish." Saber asked.

"Saber… I'm sorry. I understand your reasons to seek the Grail." Caster started. "I even understand your reasons for wishing to retire me, and I thank you for your concern for my wellbeing… but after what I witnessed… I can't back down."

"I… I know you can't for your own reasons… but that's what I want to know." Saber replied. "I want to know what made you change your mind. You were the Grail yourself once; what is it that you want when you seek it…?"

"…Can I trust you?" Caster replied. "These two here… they won't come to any harm if we meet, right?" Saber's response for this was to change into her normal clothes and look back up with a smile.

"Of course. You have our word." She replied. Caster smiled back.

"…Kamijou-san. Can we use your apartment to talk? Some of what I want to discuss you should hear as well." Caster asked.

"If… you want. Are you sure we can trust them though?" Touma asked.

"Saber-san is the kind of person to never go back on her word; her honor is her way of life." Caster replied. Touma eyed her for a moment before looking back down.

"Alright, come on up. No funny business." Touma replied.

"Thank you!" Saber replied and promptly bowed, before making her way up the stairs. Shirou and Rin quickly followed her.

"Huh… she's really respectful…" Touma scratched his head.

"What would you expect from King Arthur herself?" Caster replied.

"Oh right… King Arthur… makes sense…" Touma replied. It took a while before Caster's comment hit home.

"…Wait! That fourteen year old girl is King Arthur!?" Touma shouted in complete disbelief.


	5. Unlikely Meeting

**Hopefully the explanation here makes sense...**

 **Oh! And as some people pointed out, Index is actually part of the Anglican Church, not the Roman Catholics. It doesn't change the story much, but I did want to address it since it was indeed an error on my part.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"This place… is rather small…" Rin commented as she first stepped into Touma's apartment.

"Not much I can do; this unlucky Kamijou isn't exactly on the rich side of the world." Touma replied. "Make yourselves at home. Sorry if it's messy; wasn't expecting company you know."

"I'm sure its fine… feels good to take a load off. We've been walking and running all day." Shirou commented as he sat down at Touma's center table. Rin took a look through the small balcony; opening the door a crack to lit some fresh air in. "It might be small but it feels kind of homey; I like it."

"It's meant to be a one person apartment… then freeloaders starting moving in." Touma replied.

"Who are you calling a freeloader!?" Index shouted.

"Pay some of the bills or buy some groceries and then we'll talk about your status as a freeloader." Touma replied. Index responded by lunging at and biting Touma, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Does… that happen all the time?" Rin asked.

"It seems fairly common to me. But you can tell they are very attached to one another. It's like they are brother and sister!" Caster happily replied, commenting on the fact that she had spent a full day with them prior.

"Living arrangements must be interesting with only one bed." Saber commented.

"We make do…" Touma replied. "I suppose I should make some tea or something… Othinus! You awake over there?"

The group then turned their attention to some mild shuffling. Their reactions varied when a girl only fifteen centimeters tall poked her upper body out of some blankets. The girl yawned loudly; oddly her voice didn't seem to be affected by her small size.

"I thought you weren't going to be back until later…" Othinus said in a drowsy tone as she rose up out from under the covers, taking to the air.

"W-what is going on? A talking doll!?" Shirou commented in disbelief.

"She's… so cute!" Rin exclaimed.

"What… kind of curse has befallen a girl so young…!?" Saber asked.

"…It's not a curse, and I'm not a doll." Othinus replied. "This is what happens when 99% of your body is destroyed. It helps to be stubborn enough to live."

"That… creates more questions than answers you know…" Shirou replied. Othinus let out a loud yawn and stretched in the air.

"It's a long story. You humans need to be more welcoming of a Magic God." Othinus groggily replied.

"No berating the house guests." Touma replied. "Now do you want some tea or not? I need to know what kind you want."

"…Ok." Othinus replied simply, before floating over into the kitchen and landing on Touma's shoulder, sitting on it promptly.

"…What's going on?" Shirou whispered.

"It's a long story… and some parts I'm not sure if I can speak of or not…" Index whispered back. "A lot of world powers are involved… so it's difficult to speak of."

"What about that Magic God part?" Rin asked with a tone of seriousness.

"You're going to have to ask her. That part is just complicated and difficult to put into words…" Index replied.

"Ask me what?" Othinus asked as Touma returned with a full pot of tea, setting some glasses down for everyone as well.

"…What is a Magic God?" Rin asked again.

"The final evolution of a magician; one who devotes their life to a sect of magic and travels all the way to that sect's end point. " Othinus explained. "Once at the last steps of their travels do they have the ability to ascend into the realm of gods; as they have explored so much of that god's magic that in a final act of offering they transcend their mortality."

"Final act of offering…?" Shirou asked.

"A sacrifice one puts forth to the gods they study under; almost all of them are grave… even going as far as to ask for the deaths of your loved ones… or yourself. The path of a Magic God is not for the faint of heart, human." Othinus answered.

"No scaring the house guests." Touma replied.

"…They asked." Othinus defended herself.

"What… can a Magic God do?" Shirou asked.

"Depends on the sect… but it can allow you to change and alter the phases of the world as you please. It is probably not unlike that Holy Grail you all are after." Othinus replied. "Yes… I guess you could say that acquiring and wishing upon that Holy Grail would be something of an easier route to alter the world's phases if one cannot handle the trials to godhood."

"Then… why are you so small?" Rin asked.

"It's a long story." Touma interrupted. "I think we'd both rather not relive it, if you don't mind."

"…I see." Rin crossed her arms. "I think I understand. Enough anyway."

"Enough." Saber interjected before anyone else could speak. "…Irisviel, I think it's time."

"Of course." Caster replied. "I'm sure you all are aware of the Holy Grail's nature by now… and its appetite for destruction." She began, sitting down. "But… it has not always been in such a form… its corruption I have sure you have felt. It existence has been forever changed by Angra Mainyu: All the World's Evil."

"That's the black mud that comes out of it… right?" Rin asked. "That's why it's better off to destroy the grail; the curses it unleashes could possibly end the world."

"Indeed, that is very true, but as long as the grail exists, it will always be a possibility." Caster held out her hand and a golden cup of sorts forms in her hands. "I shouldn't be able to be summoned as a normal servant… which confused me… but after seeing Kamijou's right hand, I can certain that my purpose here is clear."

"But… what do you mean by you not being able to be summoned?" Saber questioned.

"The easiest way to explain it… is that I represent the true nature of the Grail, as it is intended, Without Angra Mainyu's influence. What you see before you is a Holy Grail, but not the Holy Grail that now exists. The corruption has overtaken much of it, and I represent the remaining light within." Caster explained.

"But what's your goal here? What exactly do you want as you fight for that corrupted Grail?" Rin asked.

"…Tohsaka-san, do you recall what happened when your Gandr hit Kamijou-San's right hand?" Caster asked.

"Of course… some kind of force canceled it out." Rin replied.

"That was my Imagine Breaker." Touma said. "If anything supernatural that shouldn't exist touches my right hand, Imagine Breaker destroys it. Doesn't matter how much power it has, it gets rid of it. The only real way to bypass it would to use an attack that regenerates and reapplies energy quicker than my right hand can negate it."

"Yes, that's why I am staying in the Grail War." Caster said. "Gandr is a curse of sorts, which Imagine Breaker has proven to be able to negate. And its rejection power has proven itself enough to withstand great force; even Saber's Excalibur didn't have enough power alone to stop it."

"Excalibur was negated as it came into contact… without a constant flow of energy; it lacked what it needed to break the wall and failed… I see." Saber replied, sipping some of her tea.

"Exactly. Angra Mainyu is a curse of great power; infesting the very core. It will corrupt and pervert everything it touches… but Imagine Breaker can destroy curses, regardless of power." Caster smiled. "I wish to not just win the war, but to have Kamijou-san take on Angra Mainyu's fury, and defeat the corruption with Imagine Breaker; purifying the Holy Grail."

"That's a bold plan…" Saber leaned forward a bit. "Are you sure it can work? If this Angra Mainyu has all the Grail's power, it might be able to overcome the rate of negation."

"There are balances of power in this world." Index said. "In essence, the Holy Grail represents the power to change the world, but Imagine Breaker represents the power to return to the original world; I think this Angra Mainyu is an alteration of the Holy Grail by the Grail's own power. In essence; Imagine Breaker should be its natural enemy, as although Angra Mainyu is the corruption of the Grail, it exists because of the Grail's power. That is my theory, anyway." Index said.

"The Holy Grail was corrupted by an existence granted by the Grails power, and Imagine Breaker exists to return the changes made to the world, even by the Grail, to normalcy. In my eyes if Imagine Breaker makes contact with the Grail, it will cancel out the Grail's power and revert the changes it has inadvertently made to itself, thus eradicating Angra Mainyu." Caster finished.

"…So the Grail would return to being a true wish granting machine then." Saber replied.

"There is a good chance that Imagine Breaker will destroy the grail because its manifestation alone is supernatural, but that sounds like it will work to me…" Touma crossed his arms. "I think anyway… worse case scenario it will just destroy the grail… but since that's what you guys want anyway, everyone wins I guess."

"So it will either purify it… or destroy it." Rin thought out loud. "Seems like a plan to me. Either it will destroy the grail this time so its power can't be used in its corrupted form, or it'll purify it and then destroy it, so that if it is ever used again, it won't destroy the world… I like it." She concluded with a smile.

"I really wish you had told me all of this earlier you know…" Touma commented.

"Sorry… but until tonight… I wasn't sure if it was even possible… but now I'm certain." Caster replied.

"It's fine; doesn't change my view on it either way." Touma replied. "Just tell me what to do and consider it done. Seems like either way we win as long as we last until the end."

"You're agreeing awful easily…" Rin said.

"Hey; if it's a situation of "Do this or the world will end," it's kind of the natural reaction to stop the end of the world right?" Touma replied.

"I believe this is the third time you've been put in this position of saving the world, correct?" Othinus commented.

"Third…?" Shirou questioned.

"He has trouble saying no to people in need; he throws himself under the bus a lot for the sake of others." Othinus explained.

"Reminds me of someone…" Rin commented.

"I heard that…" Shirou replied, the sound of annoyance in his voice. Rin seemed to laugh in response. "So… this has happened to you before…?"

"Not this exact situation but… yeah." Touma replied. "I usually get involved with stuff for personal reasons and it blows up into a massive event… like in World War Three."

"World War Three? You participated?" Rin asked.

"Yeah; I was going after Index at the time to save her, and it ended up with a fight against Fiamma of the Right while he was controlling an angel." Touma answered. "We fought a few times, actually…"

"Controlling an angel…?" Saber cocked her head to the side. Rin however, slammed her hands into the table.

"F-F-Fiamma of the Right!? You're kidding right!?" Rin shouted. "He was the big guy responsible for the whole war… and you were fighting him while he was controlling Archangel Gabriel!?"

"To be fair… I wasn't directly fighting Gabriel… hey wait, how do you know about the archangel part?" Touma asked.

"Full details were released to the magic side after an investigation, including Archangel Gabriel." Index said. "But I guess they left out your involvement… probably because they were jealous that they let things get that far out of control."

"…Ah, couldn't let someone from Academy City take the credit after they screwed up, I hear you." Touma replied. "Oh well. It's probably easier on me this way."

"Wait, I'm lost… who is Fiamma of the Right?" Shirou asked.

"This is why I try to get you to take an interest into current events you idiot…" Rin sighed. "Fiamma was the one who orchestrated the whole war, manipulating the entire Roman Catholic Church and Russia! Not to mention he called down an angel and directly controlled it as he attempted to invade Japan. The guy's magecraft is terrifyingly strong!"

"That big of a deal? What is it that he can do?" Shirou questioned.

"His magic is called the Holy Right. It forms as a large hand behind him which he can freely control. It grants him abilities thought only useable by divine beings. In essence, it could be comparable to say that he controls the right hand of God." Index explained. "Not literally though, just a way to have it make sense."

"Right hand of God…" Saber repeated it out loud, thinking. "…And you defeated this man, Touma?"

"Well… kind of." Touma said. "He was after my Imagine Breaker… and even managed to take it by ripping off my right arm… but it rejected him and returned to me. If he was dead-set on killing me alone, he probably would have beaten me."

"Rejected him?" Saber questioned further.

"Yeah, he took it and absorbed it into his Holy Right, trying to adapt it. After a while, my right arm had returned on its own, Imagine Breaker and all. I can't quite explain it myself." Touma leaned back, supporting himself with his arms.

"That is an amazing power… how long have you had such a weapon?" Saber asked.

"Beats me; for as long as I can remember… though I really only discovered it when I enrolled here in Academy City I think." Touma replied.

"…You're being really forth coming with information. I thank you for answering, but why are you supplying us with so much information about your ability so freely?" Rin suddenly asked.

"Honestly, it's not really much of a secret. Plus… you guys are going after the Grail to stop it from destroying the world, right? Doesn't that put us on the same side?" Touma asked.

"You're way too trusting… but you're not wrong." Rin replied. "Sorry, it just seemed weird to me that you'd just tell us all that stuff. I find it kind of hard to believe really."

"I have my secrets if that's what your poking at." Touma replied. "But stuff like this doesn't matter. I don't care if you believe me either; I know what happened and that's all I need."

"Not in it for the glory?" Shirou stated.

"More or less." Touma replied.

"That's a good mindset to have. So many people get caught up in the glory; it's refreshing to see." Saber replied.

"I wish he wouldn't go and get into so much trouble…" Index whined. "…But this time it's truly unavoidable, huh?"

"Trust me; I don't like it any more than you. Sooner this is all over the better." Touma fully laid down. "…Plus mid-terms are soon, I need to study and it's kind of hard to do when someone's trying to kill you."

"Struggling with school work?" Rin asked.

"He's terrible." Index answered.

"Deplorable. He's lucky they let him in." Othinus added.

"Thanks for your support you two…" Touma groaned.

"That's good enough for me." Shirou suddenly said. "Kamijou-san, let's take this beyond just working toward the same goal. Let's work together directly."

"You sure? I may have my right arm and some fighting skills but not much else." Touma asked.

"I don't mind. You seem to handle yourself fairly well. Plus, you know this city a lot better than we do." Shirou replied. "It's up to you."

"Well… Caster? Index?" Touma called out.

"If you think we can trust them… I don't mind. They seem like kind people to me." Index replied.

"I'm all for it. I would love to work with Saber-san again." Caster said cheerfully.

"Majority rules." Touma shrugged. "I guess we will be working together from now on. Let me know how I can help and I'll do my best."

"You probably won't get much out of this yourself, you know." Rin commented.

"That doesn't matter to me. You don't need a reason to help someone." Touma replied.

"You're more like him than I thought…" Rin replied.

"I am still here you know." Shirou replied. Rin grinned at him and laughed.

"Oh well, in any case, more allies is a plus. Plus if this works, we may never have to get involved with this again." Rin said.

"Makes sense to me." Touma replied. "Now that I think about it, I don't believe we introduced ourselves to each other properly. I think you managed to figure out my name though, it's Kamijou Touma."

"Sorry about that, it has been a tense night." Shirou replied. "My name is Emiya Shirou."

"Mine is Tohsaka Rin; it's a pleased to meet you now that we're not attacking each other." Rin replied cheerfully.

"Wow! A Tohsaka! I had no idea…" Index commented.

"Yeah, the last of the official family sadly… well, maybe not the last for long…" Rin shot a playful grin over at Shirou, who turned red the moment he noticed.

"Keep it PG-13. This is my apartment, not a love nest." Touma stated. As the group conversed, Caster seemed to be giving Shirou an odd look.

The name Emiya meant a lot to her; it belonged to her husband from when she was alive. Due to her status as part of the grail, she was aware of when servants and masters died due to their connection to the Holy Grail itself, and the fact that spirits passed through the grail when they were defeated, and often carried faint memories what transpired before their death.

Because of this, she knew that her daughter, Illyasviel von Einzbern, was dead; she learned this when Hercules, the previous war's Berserker, died. She also knew that Angra Mainyu had cursed her husband, Emiya Kiritsugu, and thus more than likely would have died as well. That's why the name Emiya resonated with her.

If Shirou's full name was Emiya Shirou, then he would undoubtedly have to be an adoptive son of Kiritsugu, and thus if this were all true, that would mean Shirou would be her adoptive son by proxy.

Shirou would be her last living family member outside of the Einzbern family with some kind of connection to her late husband who she loved so much.

Caster looked away, unsure of how to react. She wanted to ask about what had happened and her husband's ultimate fate. But on the other hand, she disliked the idea of possibly bringing up bad memories of the past, as she did not know what exactly had transpired. She clutched her hands closed and bit her lip as he tried to decide what to do.

Eventually, she decided not to bring it up. She may have wanted to know, but she reasoned that the possibility of bringing up pain at a time like this was simply too much, especially with everything she had just described.

There was a time and a place for everything, even this conversation she wanted so badly, but now simply was not right.

"Caster… are you ok…?" Index asked, noticing her servant's odd behavior. Caster turned to her for a moment before shaking off the emotions she was dealing with and smiling at Index.

"I'm fine, thank you. Just some bad memories from before..." Caster said. "Index-san, it's your turn to introduce yourself, isn't it? It would be best to leave a good first impression on our new friends."

"Right! Of course!" Index spoke up cheerfully and shifting her attention back to the group discussion. "I am Index Librorum Prohibitorum; Index of Prohibited Books. You can just call me Index though."

"That's a long name…" Saber commented.

"It is… and it has a long story attached to it… heh." Index rubbed the back of her head.

"That's fine. You'll tell us when you're good and ready." Shirou said.

"Shirou, Rin. It is getting terribly late. It would be wise for us to turn in for the night." Saber said.

"I suppose so… it's a long trek back to the hotel…" Shirou stretched a bit as he stood. "Wonder where Assassin is…"

"He has been here. More than likely in spirit form to conserve power." Caster replied.

"Sorry; I'd offer you guys a place to stay, but as you can tell it's already cramped." Touma said.

"It's fine." Shirou replied. "Tomorrow is Sunday, right? Let's meet up here around eight at night and see if we can track down some clues as to who other masters are, or to whoever or whatever caused this while incident."

"Sounds like a plan to me; see you then." Touma said as his new partners made their leave from his modest apartment.

 **-Next Day, 3:10 PM, Academy City Streets-**

"Damn it you two! Why did you get me involved in something like this!?" Touma shouted as he ran next to two boys about his age. One had blond hair and sunglasses, while the other had blue hair and seemed to always have his eyes closed.

"Come on, Kami-yan! It's only natural to try and create distractions, nya!" The blond said.

"And look how well that worked, Tsuchimikado!" Touma shouted back.

"Personally, I just didn't want to get taken down alone by this hoard." The blue-haired one said.

"Aogami! You're the whole reason we're in this mess!" Touma shouted.

"Let's pick up the pace; they're gaining on us! Nya!" Tsuchimikado said.

"Damn it all!" Touma ran faster. Their situation required a bit of explanation.

Around 2PM, Touma received a text, asking him to help Tsuchimikado out with something. Only when he had arrived about twenty minutes later, did he find out why; Aogami had been spying on the girls locker rooms during a scheduled practice and was forced to run when he was discovered. Aogami called Tsuchimikado asking for help, who wound up being involved as well and Tsuchimikado texted Touma in turn.

Thus the circle of misfortune was complete.

"I swear; I'm going to hurt you both after this is over!" Touma shouted.

"Less talking more running!" Aogami shouted as the three ran from the mob of girls chasing them, shouting obscenities of varying degrees of intensity.

Suddenly; a miracle happened.

Aogami, who was running far ahead of the two, suddenly tripped and fell.

Touma, who was the first to notice, slid to a stop, almost falling himself.

"Aogami! Come on!" Touma called out.

"He's a lost cause! Let's keep going nya!" Tsuchimikado called out as he resumed running.

"Farewell! I hope that the Kami-Yan disease guides you faithfully, Kami-yan!" Aogami called out as he was swept up in the flood of violent women, who proceeded to attack the Fetish King known as Aogami.

Touma may go out of his way to help people, but trying to pull someone from a violent mob of espers was more akin to suicide.

"I'll come back for you! Stay alive no matter what it takes Aogami!" Touma turned and ran as fast as he could.

"I'll do my best!" Aogami replied as the flood of blows to his entire body finally arrived.

Aogami refused to even mention that this was actually his intended outcome. People called him the Fetish King for a reason after all.

 **-Five Minutes Later-**

"Damnit… we lost Aogami…" Touma panted out, leaning against a wall.

"Don't beat yourself up about it… I'm sure Aogami is enjoying himself. He did bring this upon himself anyway." Tsuchimikado remarked.

"After all; one must sometimes cut off what is necessary for survival." A third voice sounded from behind them. A man with blond hair and blood red eyes was leading against a wall. His clothes were mostly black except for a white undershirt. The man seemed to be smiling at them.

"That's not a good way to talk about other people… wait, you were watching that happen!?" Touma shouted.

"Of course." The blond replied.

"Why did you help us out!?" Touma shouted again.

"Because… watching you struggle against inevitability in your own pathetic way was quite amusing." The blond replied.

"…Oh, so you're one of those people huh…" Touma groaned.

"Hey; I'm one of those people too you know! Don't dis us Kami-yan!" Tsuchimikado replied.

"I know; I don't want to put up with two of you! I can barely handle one!" Touma shouted.

"Claiming similarity to me? That's a bold statement." The blond's smile didn't fade.

"I'm absolutely sure you're leagues better than him… make no mistake." Touma said to the red-eyed blond.

"Low blow Kami-yan…" Tsuchimikado groaned.

"Consider it payback for dragging me into that just because you were too!" Touma replied.

"At least this one can tell the difference from a commoner and a king." The blond chuckled lightly.

"You do exude an exemplary aura." Touma replied, albeit not in an impressed voice.

"Ho? Your tone betrays your words." The blond crossed his arms.

"No, I mean it. It's just not like my life is magically going to change dramatically just because I met someone really high class. No real point in getting star-struck, you know?" Touma replied.

"…An acceptable response I suppose. It would become annoying if every man woman and child I met threw themselves at my feet; it would be a chore to step over every single one of them every time. Being beneath me and worshiping me are indeed two different things." The blond replied. "I act based on my own wishes after all."

"Exactly. You know what you've done and what's happened because of it. Doesn't matter if someone else is amazed by it or not; it just matters you know the actions you preformed and the end result that you wanted." Touma replied.

"A little wise, aren't we? Your words are not incorrect." The blond stood up fully, sliding his hands into his pockets. "What is your name?"

"Kamijou Touma." Touma replied.

"The one who purifies god and exorcises the devil…" The blond stated. "Interesting. That's the name representative of a true hero, but are you able to be one, I wonder?"

"I don't really think so." Touma replied.

"So quick to disavow the notion?" The blond asked in a curious tone.

"I just don't see myself as one. I'm just an unlucky guy who has trouble saying no to people who need a hand. Nothing more, nothing less." Touma replied.

"…What is your goal in life?" The blond suddenly asked. "What is the magnum opus you are grooming yourself for?"

"You have a strange way of putting things…" Touma replied. "I don't know I guess. I hear a lot of ideas on things to go into but they all just… don't sound right. I really don't know what my goal is… I guess you could say I'm just living life as I see fit." Touma replied.

"…Hey Kami-yan." Tsuchimikado called out. "I think I hear those girls coming for us; it's time to go."

"Oh crap, really!?" Touma asked. "H-hey! It's been fun, but I really need to go! Take it easy!" Touma then turned and ran with Tsuchimikado, leaving the scene quickly.

"…Well isn't he the odd one?" The blond spoke to himself. "For someone who can stop the almighty Excalibur's strike of Promised Victory, you don't disappoint too much. In a sense, you're just like a clean slate waiting for someone to carve an existence into… yet you clearly are yourself and hold your own ideals… both, yet neither…" The blond then vanished into a variety of golden sparks that slowly vanished into nothingness.

"It seems that my time here won't be a complete waste after all, Kamijou Touma."

* * *

 **And there we have it! I hope everything made sense.**

 **Tell me what you think!**

 **EDIT: Some people pointed out that although Index reacted to Tohsaka's last name, that Caster didn't react to Shirou's last name Emiya at all, so I have added that here because it was an actual oversight I had while developing this story. Hopefully that edit fixes the issue or at least explains it.**


	6. Thor's Gambit

**Here we go! Chapter Six. Another Character I've never portrayed ever before shows up here, so I hope i can do him justice like Thor.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Hey, Kami-yan?" Tsuchimikado called out after a short time.

"Yeah, what is it?" Touma replied. "You ok? You've seemed a bit tense for a while now."

"…If you see that guy again, I'd find an excuse to bail on him if I were you." Tsuchimikado said. "That guy… gives me a bad vibe. Hanging around him is a bad idea."

"You sure? He was a little stuck-up, but otherwise he seemed fine…" Touma rubbed the back of his head.

"Exactly; that's how he wanted you to feel. And I don't like how he could pull it off so well." Tsuchimikado commented.

"You think so, huh?" Touma sighed. "It feels like things are going to get a lot more stressful soon…"

"With your bad luck I'm surprised it's not stressful already, nya." Tsuchimikado joked.

"Don't remind me." Touma lamented. The two walked for a time until they came across an alley way. As they moved to pass it, Tsuchimikado stopped Touma as what looked like a hand grenade flew out in front of them, the pin just recently pulled.

In an instant, a man materialized in front of the two, holding a multi-string bow as he used the bow to knock the grenade out of the air and back into the alley, an explosion triggering. The explosion forced out Assassin himself, who rolled out of the alleyway safely, unharmed by the explosion.

"Assassin!? What are you doing here!?" Touma shouted.

"Good call, Archer. Leave it to someone like you to have quick hands." Tsuchimikado patted the man in front of him on the back.

"Don't congratulate me on something so simple. The hard part comes next." The man responded. He had dark red hair, yellow eyes, and wore a white and grey armor with a dark green cloak of sorts.

"Tsuchimikado… you're a master…?" Touma asked.

"Yeah; guess the cat is out of the bag." Tsuchimikado lifted up his right hand and tore off a patch of what looked like fake skin, revealing a command seal. "Wanted to keep this under wraps for longer, but not much can be done now."

"Rise to your feet, Assassin." Archer called out. "I'll be sure to thoroughly punish you for attempting to not only to kill my current master, but an ally yours had just made."

"…Tsuchimikado. Did you bug my apartment again?" Touma asked in an annoyed tone.

"…Maybe." Tsuchimikado smiled at Touma, much to his annoyance.

"…He would have survived; I made sure of it." Assassin slowly rose to his feet. He quickly held out his hand and another hand grenade formed out of the air, but Archer quickly shot it with his bow, destroying it on contact. Oddly, Archer didn't use an arrow; he merely pulled back on one of the multiple bow-strings with a single finger and a wave of light fired when he released it.

"…Ah, his equipment must be part of a Noble Phantasm; able to make more on a dime. Since it was supernatural, Touma would have been able to negate its explosion… so he threw it in such a way that Kami-yan would only be able to save himself. Not bad." Tsuchimikado finished. Assassin narrowed his eyes.

"…It would seem you have a competent master, Archer." Assassin commented.

"Competent, yes. Honorable though? Hardly. I'm growing increasingly agitated with the tactics this boy employs." Archer spoke in a refined manner. "But I suppose this is a game were we don't get to choose our masters, and victory is the sole thing that matters in the end; regardless of my objections to the rules of war."

"…I couldn't agree more." Assassin replied, drawing a combat knife.

"Hey, stop this!" Touma shouted.

"I think it's time for you to head home, Kami-yan." Tsuchimikado stated. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"But Tsuchimikado…!" Touma replied.

"Sometimes you just got to fight regardless of how you feel. I don't want to drag you into stuff like this…" Tsuchimikado popped his knuckles. "I'll catch up with you later ok? We can sort this all out later."

"…Fine, I'll let you fight this one out. You better stay alive!" Touma shouted as he turned and bolted, taking an alternative way home.

"Idiot…" Tsuchimikado said to himself. "You say that as if I intended to die… but I can't help but wonder who you were saying that last line to?" He drew a knife of his own from his pocket, ready to fight.

 **-A Few Horus later, Dusk-**

"Oh come on… why did this have to happen!?" Touma shouted as he caught his breath in an alleyway about six or seven blocks away from his apartment.

The events that came after leaving Tsuchimikado and Archer to fight Assassin were more than a little infuriating.

Firstly, Touma ended up crashing into several people; a bunch of thugs who weren't at all pleased to see him, forcing Touma to run again. He ducked and weaved all around the city and after about forty-five minutes later, lost them. Touma breathed a sigh of relief and finally started his way back home. The running around lead him a long distance off course, but he could still try to make it to a bus stop and take it back home.

Then a bolt of lightning flew past his head about ten minutes later; roughly two minutes away from a bus station. An angry Misaka Mikoto, the third-ranked level 5 esper in Academy City, had apparently tried to get his attention and failed until that very moment. She asked him about destruction near the switch yard, which Touma sheepishly denied knowing anything about.

However; Mikoto did not believe him, naming an oddity in the destroyed and charred earth that seemed familiar to when Touma blocks an explosion with his right hand, much to Touma's dismay. Touma said that she shouldn't worry about it, and that he'd handle it himself. This angered Mikoto as she grew increasingly frustrated with Touma's attitude of taking all the world's problems on his own shoulders, refusing help. She continued to pressure Touma for information, and eventually got so angry with the situation she attacked Touma, causing him to have to run once again; unable to board the bus due to the electric esper chasing him.

It didn't help that with her extra-sensory abilities, Mikoto was significantly harder to lose.

An hour and a half later, Mikoto seemingly gave up, and Touma decided to make it back to his apartment; Shirou and Rin were supposed to meet him soon, so he started to run again after a short rest.

Much to Touma's horror however, he once again accidentally crashed into a group of people; the exact same thugs as before no less. Shouting about his misfortune to the heavens themselves; Touma was once again on the run.

A half hour passed, and now he is finally alone; Touma decided to rest in an alleyway close to his home for a time, just in case something else came his way.

"What the hell kind of day is this… first those thugs, then biri-biri, then the thugs again! Such misfortune!" Touma lamented. He heard talking down the other side of the alleyway however; the thugs seemed to be close. Touma took off once more, doing his best to evade capture.

Once again however, as he looked behind him, he crashed into a person.

This time however, the person he ran into was actually looking for him in the first place.

"Hey, Kamijou-chan! Just the man I wanted to see!" Thor called out happily as he laid below the spikey-haired teen.

"T-Thor?" Touma asked in a confused tone as he rolled off of him and got up. Thor promptly jumped up to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you! I did just say that you know!" Thor cheerfully replied. Touma didn't look amused.

"…First I find Biri-biri and now I find you. When will this day end?" Touma groaned.

"Oh! You saw Miko-chan too? How is she doing? Is she still being a shy little girl who can't speak her mind?" Thor suddenly asked.

"Only someone like you would refer to her temper tantrums as just "being shy." She was throwing lightning at me only a short time ago, you know…" Touma replied.

"I see… so she still can't say how she feels properly. Oh well! Maybe someday!" Thor cheerfully said.

"If those attacks are her acting out, I hope that, "Someday," comes soon." Touma sighed. "Now if you excuse me… I'm trying to make a break for it because I'm being chased…"

"They already ran past us." Thor said. Touma turned around and sure enough; the thugs that were chasing him just ran right by the two without even glancing at them.

"…Illusion magic. Handy." Touma said as he turned back to Thor. "Alright… I suppose I owe you for that… what do you need?" he asked, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, I was wondering… since I basically left after our last fight… I kind of lost track of a certain someone… so…" Thor trailed off, and then pointed at Touma. "Where is Othinus?"

"H-huh? Why are you after her?" Touma asked.

"To fight her." Thor replied.

"You're still on about that!?" Touma shouted.

"Of course I am!" Thor smiled and crossed his arms. "Fighting you, I could feel it. The next stage for me; the next highest power. It was coursing through my veins and all I needed to do was be pushed far enough so I could reach it!" Thor reeled his body back in excitement, like he was about to burst with joy, before suddenly returning to a standing position. "But… then Othinus' last stand occurred, and you went to save her. I knew that's where you were supposed to be, so I pushed you to chase after her. But I haven't had that rush since! Then I thought to myself, "I was pushed so far by someone protecting a god; would I be pushed even farther by the god he was protecting?" So I went digging round for information, but all I could get was that apparently she was living with you, so here I am, ready to fight a god with all of my power as the Almighty Thor!"

"…Nice story, but fighting her is impossible for you now." Touma replied.

"Huh? But Gungnir was destroyed? I know she has a fifty-fifty shot at destroying me instantly, but I believe I can bypass those chances and pull something off!" Thor happily replied.

'…He has no idea about her condition…' Touma thought to himself. "No; seriously. You can't fight her Thor; it's not going to work."

"…Oh, I see how it is then…" Thor closed his eyes, putting a finger to his chin before suddenly pointing at Touma again. "She's staying with you? I'm guessing your relationship goes beyond just sharing a living space then…"

"…Excuse me, what?" Touma replied with a dumbfounded expression.

"You don't have to try and explain it." Thor replied. "So a god has decided to make love with a human… I've only heard it in legends, but I suppose it is indeed possible… and after all you both must have been through; it must be just more than a pleasure to share a bed for you both!"

"W-what!?" Touma shouted with a noticeably blush. "What the hell are you talking about!?"

"You don't need to deny it, Kamijou-chan!" Thor wrapped his arm around Touma's shoulder. "Being a god's choice of concubine is a badge of honor! Most rarely choose a dedicated mate, but you have earned the romantic favor of the Magic God that inspired the legends of Odin! Hold your head high; for there are many mortals that the gods seduce in their travels amongst the world, but you are the sole mortal to have seduced a god!"

"Ok, One; that's NOT how our relationship is! And two; where the hell are you getting all of this from!?" Touma shouted.

"No need to fret Kamijou-chan! I don't seek Othinus' life!" Thor moved away from Touma and then turned to face him. "I merely seek combat! She will still return to you as always, I will make sure of it!"

"No means no damn it!" Touma shouted. "When I said it's impossible; I mean it's impossible! She can't fight anymore!"

"Ah… that much of a defender?" Thor scratched his cheek. "It makes sense… it would appear that your relationship is mutual affection after all… Miko-chan isn't going to like this news…"

"That's not how our relationship is, I keep telling you…" Touma sighed. "…and what does Misaka have to do with any of this, anyway."

"That's another story for another day." Thor replied. "Very well! I will not pursue this path with you any further. I'll merely seek her out directly! Othinus' magic signature as a Magic God is something I am very familiar with; she should stick out like a sore thumb."

"…Good luck in finding her." Touma replied. Othinus' changes due to the fairy spell would make tracking her magic signature significantly harder, as she's nowhere near as strong as she was before.

"But in the meantime…" Thor started. "You still owe me then…"

"…I don't like where this is going…" Touma replied.

"…How about you fight me in Othinus' place?" Thor suggested.

"Knew it. I knew this would happen." Touma groaned.

"Don't think about running. You know that there's no place you can hide from the Almighty Thor!" Thor put his knuckles on his hips and stood proud.

"Fine, let's get this over with." Touma replied. Before he could look up, Thor had generated his Fusion Arc Blades from his right hand and slammed them down on Touma, forcing him to block with his own right hand.

The two forces clashed and waged war upon one another; Thor's Fusion Arc Blades were constantly being fueled by Thor so that Imagine Breaker couldn't completely destroy them, but were nowhere near the level of being able to bypass Imagine Breaker's negation rate.

"Quick as always. Your reactions where always the best. Not even a surprise attack like this can get you off guard." Thor replied. He then unleashed Arc Blades from his left hand's fingers as well and attempted to thrust them into Touma; he quickly dove to the side to avoid the attack. Thor swung his right arm towards Touma, attempting to cleave him in half, but Touma managed to block and force the strike back, quickly gaining ground before Thor could retaliate.

Thor dodged Touma's running punch and slammed his blade down on top of him with his left arm, which Touma blocked again with Imagine Breaker. Thor canceled his blades from his right hand and balled his fingers into a fist; and punched Touma across the face. Touma however; came right back after the strike and slammed his right fist up into Thor's chin, sending him upward and backward; direct contact with Imagine Breaker cutting off the mana-flow to Thor's Arc Blades for a brief moment, causing them to vanish. Touma came and assaulted him again, but Thor caught Touma's punches one at a time, and the two held place for a time.

"Man… you're reaction time is still the absolute best; and your endurance isn't bad either…" Thor complimented.

"And you still hit like a dump truck, you know." Touma replied. Thor smirked and slammed his knee into Touma's stomach to force him back. Thor followed up with a straight thrust with a set of newly crafted Fusion Arc Blades, but Touma dodged to the side and struck Thor across the face once more.

"That's the way… you're still as worthy of an opponent as before, Kamijou-chan." Thor complimented. "I'm glad we sorted out that pathetic situation of Gremlin; it would be a shame to dwell on that as we fought. Now we can just enjoy the thrill of combat."

"You know fighting isn't exactly a thing I strive to do, right?" Touma replied. "I don't get the same rush of enjoyment out of it as you do."

"I know." Thor replied. "But I can't help this itch; this flow of pleasure I get when I fight someone worthy; I just can't help myself! I'm starting to feel it again; the pressure. The flow of power that's just waiting for me to grasp it! I can't wait any longer; let's keep this party going, Kamijou Touma!" Thor lunged at Touma with a downward slash with his Arc Blades as Touma prepared to defend himself.

A sudden gust of wind enveloped the two, and as Thor struck, it met and sparked against the solid steel of a sword. A sword completely hidden by air itself.

"You speak highly of those you find worthy; those that give you the rush of pleasure you receive from combat." Saber spoke as she held off Thor's Arc Blades with her blade wrapped in Invisible Air; holding her ground easily. "So; would you say that I would be worthy of being your next opponent?"

"That's impressive, you know." Thor replied. "Not only handling my Fusion Arc Blades, but not even flinching at the pressure... that wind illusion around your blade isn't too bad either."

"This blade is not a simple one made of iron; nor is the Invisible Air around it. But even if it was, one of the highest qualities of a Saber-Class servant is resistance to all forms of magic. Let us see how much better you fare against an opponent of much more equal ground!" Saber forced Thor off and charged with a diagonally-upward swing; which Thor blocked with another set of Arc Blades; but the force was enough to launch Thor into the air.

'Damn… she wasn't kidding…!' Thor thought. 'Arc Blades can't even slow her down… guess we'll have to be more direct!' Thor reeled his arms back and prepared to thrust forward to unleash his Arc Blade's full length, but a massive Gandr bullet slammed into his side, flinging him through the air as he landed on his back with a mighty crash.

"Hey, Kamijou-san! Are you alright!?" Shirou shouted as he ran up to the scene with Rin close behind; her aim aimed right as Thor's body as she moved.

"Yeah I'm fine." Touma replied. "What are you guys doing here?"

"You didn't show up for our meeting; and when Index finally came home after doing some shopping with Caster, she told us that you never got home after meeting with your friends. We went looking for you; we had no idea where you were until I felt the surge of Thor's mana." Rin explained. "Looks like he went after you, huh?"

"Yeah… but he's actually after Othinus." Touma replied.

"Othinus? Why her?" Saber asked.

"He's not aware of Othinus' current condition…" Touma replied. Thor suddenly jumped to his feet, and Rin fired another Gandr blast at Thor; he ripped it apart in an instant with his Fusion Arc Blades.

"Man… things are getting crazy up here." Thor replied. "You guys have some poor timing though; I can't seem to hold him back anymore." Just as he finished his sentence, Berserker dropped down from the sky, holding a long chunk of steel; corrupted by his Noble Phantasm and twisted into such a strange form that its previous one would have been impossible to determine. Berserker looked up as a low growl; glaring at Saber.

"Again… how many times will you come after me…?" Saber clicked her teeth as she got into her stance.

"Just who is he, Saber?" Shirou asked.

"…A knight; Lancelot." Saber gripped her sword tighter as the black mist erupted like a torrent, seemingly in rage as he charged wildly at Saber, forcing her back.

"Hey, call him off!" Touma shouted. "This is between you and me, Thor!"

"Sorry… but he gets so riled up whenever that Saber woman is around. They seem to know each other." Thor replied, popping his knuckles. "Besides; this is a war isn't it? As much as I'd like to have a one on one… right now that seems impossible."

Berserker was suddenly forced into the air, and landed near Thor himself.

"I apologize… Berserker isn't an opponent I can defeat easily." Saber held her sword; ready for the next attack.

"I guess it's now a four on two… I can feel it. The elation! Let's enjoy ourselves a little bit more!" Thor stood ready himself; his Fusion Arc Blades crafted.

"We won't have the same result of last time." Shirou said as he projected a set of swords into his hands.

"Damn it all…!" Touma cursed. The two parties stared each other down, one ready to charge the other.

Before they could charge each other however, a beam of light erupted from the heavens themselves and divided the combatants; the light scorching the ground as it traveled.

"That is enough. You all can wage your war, but for now, there are a few things I'd like to ask you all." A male voice sounded from above them. A young man, about in his mid-twenties, with a lanky physique, golden eyes and fiery red hair and a simple red suit stood tall on the rooftops above. The only oddity is that his right arm seemed to be mostly missing. He jumped down from the roof-tops, and his descent seemed to slow just as he landed; barely a sound audible by the sudden decrease in speed.

"Y-you've got to be kidding me… at a time like this!?" Rin suddenly appeared very frightened at the appearance of the man.

"What's wrong? Who is that guy?" Shirou asked.

"…Fiamma of the Right, huh?" Thor appeared confused.

"That's him? He doesn't… seem…" Shirou trailed off as a massive and malformed hand seemed to outright form and grow from just above his shoulder. "What… the…?"

"That's… his Holy Right, isn't it?" Rin cautiously stepped away from Fiamma, trying to not catch his attention.

"Rin… just give the word…" Saber turned her guard toward Fiamma, as if she were about to engage him.

"D-Don't!" Rin shouted. "He's the real deal; one of the most powerful magus in the world! I'm… not sure if even Excalibur would work against him…" Saber appeared confused for a moment, but then Fiamma started to speak.

"I see that my reputation precedes me." He said. "Now; as I was saying… I'm sure you all would like to return to your battle, so I'll make this as quick as possible so you can resume your hostilities… this may be more of a side objective for me, but I can't help but feel that it is somehow related…"

"Let's not get off base here." Touma spoke up. "What do you want, Fiamma?"

"Cut to the chase? I suppose that will work; I do have a timetable of my own… being here is hazardous to my own health after all. But the Holy Right works as a pacification mechanism against magicians who are aware of its power, as you can see." Fiamma spoke once more. "It makes talking people down much easier…"

Before Touma could interrupt him, Fiamma suddenly spoke in a harsh tone to silence him.

"Tell me; what exactly do you all know about this Illegal Grail War?"

* * *

 **Alright! I hope you liked it!**

 **Tell me what you think! Even if you feel like your just nitpicking, I want to hear it! Some things I have been told I have been able to explain, but others have been legitimate errors or design oversights i had during production, so even if its Minor, i want to hear about it so i can grow as an author. As long as its constructive criticism, I welcome it completely!**

 **Thanks for reading, and I'll see you all next time!**


	7. The Holy Right

**Hopefully i can keep doing Fiamma justice here.**

 **Also: alot of people pointed out that back in Chapter 5 a flaw with Caster/Irishviel not reacting to Shirou introducing himself as Shirou Emiya. As this was a genuine design flaw, I went back and added a bit revolving around that; hopefully that helps out with making things make sense.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Fiamma stood as he awaited his answer from the group of people before him.

"Illegal… Grail War?" Shirou questioned.

"That's the official title; this event has not gone un-noticed, you know." Fiamma replied. "The entire magic side is in a frenzy; trying to figure out how such a thing could possibly happen. My goals seem to align in this city, so I figured it'd be best to look into it myself… despite some complications…"

Just as Fiamma finished his sentence, Berserker suddenly charged at Saber, catching her off guard. The moment he stepped into the blackened pavement however, a bright light shone in the Holy Right extending from Fiamma's right shoulder, and in an instant a shockwave erupted from Berserkers position, propelling him through the air. His body slammed through one of the top floors of a nearby building.

"I would appreciate it… if you would hold off on your desire for combat until I am satisfied with my investigation." Fiamma said.

"In… an instant…" Rin commented. "He's… really powerful… I didn't even feel his mana change when he attacked; like it was instantaneous destructive force… this is really bad…!"

"He is indeed powerful… But his actions are still magecraft; I should be able to make some headway against him…" Saber commented, once again turning her attention to Fiamma of the Right.

"Please don't make me repeat myself." Fiamma requested. "I am only here for information. If you wish to fight and die then do so after I'm done. Like I said; I have things I need to accomplish as well."

"We don't know anything about this Illegal Grail War!" Shirou suddenly shouted. "We were pulled into this just like everyone else was! The only thing we can tell you is that it seems that only people around the city limits were affected."

"That's all you know?" Fiamma questioned. Shirou simply nodded, and Fiamma sighed.

"That makes sense. The detected signature of the alteration was definitely within the city limits… but that's not exactly new information, just a confirmation of what I already know." Fiamma appeared disappointed. "You're not lying to me… right?"

"N-no! That's all we know…" Rin replied, still appearing nervous.

"It seems I intervened in your conflict for nothing then." Fiamma said. "…A man was the cause; someone used an old spell to force the Grail War to appear here. This man is acting alone, and currently has his own servant, outside of the normal seven. That is all the information I have access to. Do with it what you will."

"…Thanks." Touma replied to Fiamma's statement.

Before events could progress further, Berserker burst from the building into the air, seemingly looking down at Fiamma. Darkness oozed from his body, and with a thunderous roar of anger, he dropped down on top of Fiamma, intent on striking him down. A voice rings out in response to Berserker's actions.

" **Gáe… Bolg!"** A bright red flash of light erupted from inside one of the buildings and slammed into Berserker's body knocking him away. A male with blue spiked hair and red eyes wearing deep ultramarine full body tights covered in runes jumped down from the building top after the strike. "Man… what a beast. Could even react to the change in causality on instinct alone…"

"Lancer!" Rin seems to happily call out, remembering him as the one who saved her from Kotomine.

"Yo! Long time no see!" Lancer replied.

"…Hey wait, you can remember us, Lancer?" Saber asked.

"I know it's kind of weird… but everything feels like it just happened yesterday, despite being a few years ago!" Lancer rubbed the back of his head. "Must have something to do with this strange war… but it looks like my luck still won't let me have a good woman for a master after all; instead I'm stuck with this guy." He then pointed his thumb at Fiamma.

"You're kidding… Fiamma, you too!?" Touma shouted.

"As much as it pains me… I was already in the city limits when the event triggered… this is all just an offshoot of my main goal; the sooner this war ends the sooner I can chase down my true target." Fiamma replied.

Berserker landed with a loud crash, a loud roar emanating from his armor as rage seeped from every possible area of his body in the form of a black mist.

"…Can we leave this with you, Fiamma?" Touma called out.

"I'm not here to clean up your problems for you… but it would appear that this Berserker Class has switched his target from Saber to me…" Fiamma replied. "How annoying…"

"…He must see him as a threat to his goal of defeating me…" Saber stated. "To think that even under the Mad Enhancement he still has so much of his reason intact…"

"Hey! What about me!?" Thor shouted. "Leaving me in the dust isn't fun! I was looking forward to fighting you guys!"

"Some other time! We can finish this later!" Touma shouted. "Getting involved in a fight with Fiamma is not something I want to be put through again!"

"…Fine, I'll hold you to that! You better not be lying to me, Kamijou-chan!" Thor replied. Touma smiled back at Thor and his group withdrew from the battlefield, leaving Fiamma and Thor with their servants. It wasn't long before they were out of sight.

"I guess that's over with." Fiamma closed his eyes and took a deep breath. During this Thor jumped into the air and swung his Arc Blades down on top of Fiamma; his Holy Right moved to block the surprise attack. "…You openly attack me then?"

"Sorry. But there are a lot of people in this world I have to defeat… and you're fairly high on that list, Fiamma of the Right!" Thor replied, grinning ear to ear as their powers clashed. "Plus my desired brawl has left me; I'm not so petty as to not settle for the next best thing!"

"I wonder how long the world will choose to refer to me by that title." Fiamma replied. "Lancer, erase Berserker. We have a schedule to keep."

"Already in the middle of trying!" Lancer shouted back as he evaded and clashed with Berserker who was destroying everything in his path with reckless abandon. "How about you defeat his Master? Ever think of that!?"

"Already in the middle of trying." Fiamma said, mocking Lancer. Despite the remark, Lancer only smirked in response.

"You're going to have to do a lot more than just trying if you want to take down the Almighty Thor!" Thor shouted as he attacked again; his assault once again being stopped by the Holy Right.

"I suppose your right." Fiamma's Holy Right reacted again, and suddenly Thor was launched into the air. He flipped and landed, he saw that Fiamma's left arm now held a large sword made of fire.

"Getting into the art of dueling, eh?" Thor asked jokingly.

"You have your blades of lightning, I have mine of fire." Fiamma replied. He readied himself as Thor charged him, but before either could exchange blows further, numerous blades rained from the sky and exploded on contact with the ground, forcing separation of all active combatants.

"What the hell was that!?" Lancer shouted. Above them on a large golden ship of sorts, a man stood at its edge, looking down. He wore bright golden armor and had spiked blond hair, and blood red eyes.

"The Right Hand of God… the Almighty Thor… what do we have here this night?" The blond man spoke in a bored tone. "I hear all the chaos in the world, and I happen to find some fairly powerful mongrels parading with strong titles, I see…"

"Man, do you people have the nerve! That's the third time tonight that fights I've been having have been interrupted! Have some damn manners!" Thor shouted. The response he got was for several gates appearing and opening up around the blond man, which ejected a variety of weapons at him. Thor dodged quickly however, causing the blond to huff in annoyance.

"You would do well to watch your tongue, boy. You may claim the title of a god but I am aware you are not the real thing, you cur." The blond said. "What you face is the King of Heroes; I suggest you use some respect when addressing me if you desire to live longer."

"Gilgamesh." Fiamma stated. "Participated in the fourth war, somehow lingered into the fifth, and has now appeared in the sixth. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"If you must know, I have been watching this farce of a battle for quite some time… and I have grown bored with it." Gilgamesh replied. "I simply have decided that it is time to wipe you both off the face of this world to amuse myself. Nothing more; nothing less."

"…King of Heroes huh… sounds exciting…!" Thor replied. Despite his words; his Arc Fusion Blades disengaged. "Too bad… my reserves are getting low… I wanted to fight Fiamma… but taking on two dangerous opponents at once in my state is suicide."

"Running away?" Gilgamesh questioned.

"Unfortunately; there's nothing to gain in a pointless death after all. Don't worry; we can have our fight next time we meet!" Thor then held out his right hand and his command seal shined a bright red. "Berserker; use every skill in your arsenal and take me and yourself away from this battle!" With that, one portion of Thor's command seal vanished. Reacting violently, Berserker roared and twitched violently, and then picked up Thor and jumped high into the sky, attempting to escape.

"No chance… you think I wish to witness your existence a second time?" Gilgamesh called forth more of his treasures and fired them off at Berserker while he was in the air, but a barrage of beams of light destroyed them all mid-flight. In an annoyed tone he turned his attention to Fiamma and spoke once more. "You dare to deny me my will?"

"Indeed. I figured that to be the best way to get your attention." Fiamma said. "This may be a side objective for me; but your sudden appearance has me questioning a few things… Archer."

"Oh…?" Gilgamesh raised his brow a small bit of intrigue. "Fully aware of my class right from the start? I suppose you did know about me before…"

"That's right… you see... I've already met with another Archer; one who has little to nothing to do with you, and even greeted his master…" Fiamma began. "…So; who is your master, Gilgamesh?"

In that instance, weapons of all ages clashed against heavenly magic, as the battle between the King of Heroes and the Holy Right began.

 **-Just outside Touma's Apartment-**

"Looks like… we're in the clear…" Touma panted. He was clearly exhausted; all that running and fighting was finally catching up to him.

"Hey… are you ok?" Shirou asked as Touma slumped to a sitting position.

"I'm fine… just exhausted… a long day with a long story to match." Touma panted out.

"What's the deal with that Thor person? How exactly does he know you and Othinus?" Rin asked.

"I'm surprised you don't want to know about Fiamma… you seemed so happy to meet him." Touma joked.

"I don't want anything to do with that man…" Rin glared at Touma in response.

"I-I see… c-calm down, I was just kidding…!" Touma replied. "It's a bit complicated though… Thor used to work for Othinus and me and him fought previously, but we never had a clear winner."

"So he wanted to settle things…" Rin replied. "Since he was after Othinus herself, he probably decided that you'd be a good substitute."

"Probably…" Touma sighed. "Such misfortune."

"Look… I know what you said about not wanting to talk about what happened between you and Othinus… but if that guy is related, we might need to know." Shirou said.

"…Not much to tell." Touma replied. "Othinus started an organization called Gremlin in an attempt to forge Gungnir so she could control probability itself; she succeeded in making it but I managed to stop her and destroy Gungnir in the process, and her current state now is the end result of all of that."

"That's a very abridged version, isn't it?" Shirou asked. "Are you sure you can't tell us the full story?"

"I understand you want to know… but an experience that makes you question the entire point of your existence isn't exactly a pleasant one, you know?" Touma replied in a somber tone. Silence followed as what Touma said sank into both Rin and Shirou.

"…Emiya-kun." Rin called out. "I think… we shouldn't push that subject any farther. If and when he wants to talk about it… he will."

"Yeah… sorry…" Shirou looked down in a gloomy mood as he rubbed his head.

"It's fine; you guys didn't know." Touma replied. "But Thor isn't that heavily involved with the heavy stuff; he likes to fight and wants to fight strong opponents, so he joined Gremlin in an attempt to become stronger so he could challenge those strong opponents. That's all there is to it."

"I see… so he will keep coming out as long as there is a challenge for him…" Shirou replied.

"More or less… he isn't going away anytime soon." Touma replied.

"Hey Kami-yan!" a voice came from above. Tsuchimikado dropped down from one of the lower floors in a building across the street, followed quickly by Archer, much to Saber's surprise.

"T-Tristan…!?" Saber chocked out. Archer in question looked away for a moment, before returning his gaze to Saber.

"…My King." Archer greeted, bowing lightly as a show of respect. Saber seemed even more confused by this action however.

"Tsuchimikado! I'm glad you're ok!" Touma cheerfully shouted.

"Yeah… that Assassin servant is one tough customer. Haven't heard of a Heroic Spirit that uses firearms… well, there is Billy the Kid… but he's never been summoned for a Grail War, I don't think." Tsuchimikado replied.

"Assassin… attacked you?" Shirou asked.

"Yeah… tell him that I'm sorry next time you see him! You'll see why." Tsuchimikado rubbed the back of his head.

"Wait… Tsuchimikado… as in the clan Tsuchimikado?" Rin asked.

"That's correct! Tsuchimikado Motoharu, at your service… Tohsaka Rin!" Tsuchimikado replied with a bow.

"So… you know who I am…" Rin replied.

"Don't sound so tense! Seriously; the last heir to the Tohsaka lineage, who along with Emiya Shirou, the sole survivors of the fifth Grail War, that went on to cause a ruckus as Clock Tower? Anyone who didn't know who you are would need to have been either dead or lived under a rock for the past ten years!" Tsuchimikado replied cheerfully.

"Y-you know me too?" Shirou questioned.

"Information gathering is one of my specialties! My information gathering ability is so intense, I underwent the power development curriculum to invade the information stores of Academy City; you're looking at the first Magician/Esper Hybrid… but don't be too impressed. I'm only a level 0; the best I was able to pull off was a passive esper ability." Tsuchimikado cheerfully said.

"You're being very forthcoming with information…" Rin stated.

"Well, considering I can leak your name to a few people and organizations against magecraft, effectively putting a hit on you and Shi-chan, I feel fairly safe." Tsuchimikado replied.

"You wouldn't dare…!" Rin took a step back, as if she was ready to attack Tsuchimikado, but he waved her off.

"Nah, I wouldn't do that to you, Rin-chan!" He said. "After all, seems like you both are doing a good job of looking after my friend, Kami-yan." He walked over to Touma and held out his hand and helped Touma back to his feet. "Anyone who does right by Kami-yan does right by me, understand?"

"Tsuchimikado is my neighbor and classmate; he's a really good friend of mine." Touma spoke, and suddenly his expression turned sour. "…And is the guy who gets me into a whole mess of trouble."

"I don't know what you're talking about, nya!" Tsuchimikado replied.

"Don't you, "Nya," me! I still remember earlier today!" Touma shouted. "I wouldn't be surprised if you saw me fighting Thor earlier and didn't do anything…"

"…Well…" Tsuchimikado trailed off.

"…You did, didn't you?" Touma accused.

"…Maybe just a little?" Tsuchimikado replied. Touma's response was to try and tackle Tsuchimikado to the ground, but he managed to move out of the way just in time.

"Get back here!" Touma shouted, obviously angry.

"Sorry! But it looks like it's time for me to go, Kami-yan!" Tsuchimikado stated suddenly, stepping away from the group. "I think it'd be wise to stay away from my apartment for a while, so look after Maika for me, will you?"

"Why you little…!" Touma gritted his teeth as Tsuchimikado took off, Archer close behind him.

"…You have some strange friends, Kamijou-san." Rin commented.

"With friends like him, who needs enemies, right?" Touma sighed and climbed to his feet and dusted himself off. "He's a good friend, but he can also be a real piece of work sometimes…"

"Hey Saber… are you ok?" Shirou asked. Saber had seemed more than a little shaken up. "That Archer… did you know him?"

"…I'm fine, Shirou." Saber replied. "Don't worry about it."

"I think we all need time to rest and collect our thoughts, Emiya-kun." Rin suggested. Shirou only nodded, and the group turned and walked the short distance to Touma's apartment and climbed the stairs up to his floor. Upon entering his apartment, they were greeted with the sight of Index standing on Touma's bed, looking over Caster's shoulder as she used some sort of healing magic on Assassin, who had a noticeable deep gash on the right side of his body.

"Assassin… what happened?" Shirou asked.

"I misjudged Archer's master." Assassin replied. "He seemed to be the type to hang back and let others fight, but he is much better at close range than I expected."

"That's Tsuchimikado for you…" Touma rubbed the back of his head.

"…Assassin; no more going off on your own and attacking masters indiscriminately." Shirou said. "We have no idea who you might hurt doing that."

"I thought you wanted to win the war? To stop the corruption of the Holy Grail from spilling out into the world?" Assassin questioned.

"I do, but not at the cost of the lives of innocent people." Shirou replied. "The people involved with this war have no desire for the Grail itself and have been thrown inside it against their will. I won't let people who have nothing to do with this die for that sake!"

"Yes, the dream of saving everyone who is innocent is a noble undertaking." Assassin began. "But it is just that; a dream. You have helped end lives to save them have you not? Whether you did so intentionally or not is irrelevant." Assassin stood up, his healing complete. "It is impossible to save everyone; situations exist where one life must end so the other can live on… and not all the time is it the life of a villain that ends up being taken. Sometimes a life is taken because another is saved as well; cause and effect reigns supreme."

"So what? Just because of that I can't strive to an ending where everyone innocent lives!?" Shirou shouted back.

"Doing so is a self-sacrifice that has no reward. In that case, the life that ends in exchange is your own." Assassin replied. Shirou was getting visibly angry, but a voice interrupted their argument.

"You both are idiots." Othinus suddenly spoke up, floating in the air in-between the two. She turned towards Shirou. "Saving everyone is impossible; there are some people that no matter how much effort you put in, they will die; to go against that would be to deny the entire process of life and death itself. Your life will end long before the wish of eternal life for humanity is granted, and you grinding yourself into dust trying will only destroy you and those around you."

She then turned to face Assassin.

"But at the same time, the ends don't justify the means; who gave you the right to say who lives and who dies, and what effects your choices will have? Can you honestly say to me that all the lives you have saved didn't end up taking the lives of others in the end? Equivalent exchange works in theory, but with you humans it is never that simple. Ending lives to save others, thinking that there is no other way, is a short term solution that has no viability in the long run; do remember that humans can live over eighty, ninety, even over one-hundred years now. And with new progresses moving forward in the realms of technology, everyone at any age can take another's life for the stupidest of reasons; nullifying your entire argument of the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, as the many can quickly end each other's lives just as easily, and up as the few that your more than happy to purge as a result. "

She then flew backwards a bit, distancing herself from the two.

"In other words; you're both idiots following flights of fancy riddled with impossibility. Get over your differences in your desires and come to terms with them or else the lives you'll end next are each other's." She finished as the room grew quiet.

"…People's dreams may be impossible, but striving for the impossible is what makes us human." Index spoke up to break the silence. "A long time ago, I'm sure that magic itself was deemed impossible, but times have changed. Now people can make their wildest dreams appear before their eyes. You both may have different ways of accomplishing it, but you both want the same thing, right? To save the world, and everyone inside it? Don't give up on your dreams… because from what we've learned as the human race has aged, is that the term impossible is used for things that we can't accomplish yet… that's to say; it is the nature of the human race to make the impossible possible. Your dreams may be too large to grasp now… but that can all change in an instant. All it takes is one moment for everything you know to vanish and be replaced by a new reality where the fact of something being impossible is completely destroyed."

"…My views won't be changed just because of a few choice words." Assassin replied.

"That's fine." Index replied. "That's perfectly fine… but you're not alone… not anymore. Instead of rejecting someone's opinion, look beyond what they're saying and into their heart… and let a little bit of their light inside yours."

"…I… You are right though… Assassin…" Shirou suddenly spoke. "Some of the actions I've taken, even if I wanted to save people, have caused others lives to end, even though I wanted them to live on…"

"...My views remain unchanged. Sometimes lives must end for others to live." Assassin replied. "But in the end… the trials of life are different for every person. Maybe you'll come around to my side, or maybe you'll stick to your own, or find a completely different answer to the question of why you decide to live. I will still believe in my way of life… but if you choose to reject my view, that is your decision and yours alone." As Assassin finished, Shirou smiled back at him and rubbed the back of his head.

"Sorry that I got angry with you before; you did have the best of intentions I guess… but my request still remains unchanged, you know. You said it was my choice to reject your views after all." Shirou finished.

"And you expect me not to kill, even if my life or yours is in danger?" Assassin questioned.

"That's a different set of circumstances." Shirou replied. "Do whatever it takes to make sure everyone in this room here makes it out alive, including yourself, understand?"

"…Very well." Assassin replied. "I will show restraint, as you request. I will only end those who threaten your life, your allies' lives, or my own. But if it appears that others are a threat, even those you wish to protect, I will not hold back… until then, I will trust your judgement." The two nodded at each other in agreement.

For some reason, Assassin couldn't shake off a nostalgic feeling, as if he had a similar conversation before discussing his beliefs. He shook it off quickly; despite the nostalgic emotions running through him, the feeling themselves felt foreign to his mind.

"I'm glad you two could settle your differences." Caster said. "It would have been a shame to see you two fight any longer."

"…If it ever turns physical, take it outside. I already have enough problems with replacing things in this place." Touma spoke.

"Shirou-kun… are you sure you're ok?" Rin asked.

"Yeah; I'm fine. But I do suppose things will get tenser here on out… Fiamma said that someone forced a start of this Grail War, right? He's going to seek to win it, and might attack indiscriminately. Caster is really good at magic, but I don't believe her strong suit is offence…" Shirou explained.

"So… what? You want to spend the night or something in case someone attacks?" Rin asked.

"Please don't…" Touma said. "I appreciate it, but I don't have enough beds or futons for four more people…"

"I will watch over this place." Assassin said. "They wouldn't dare attack during the day; lest they invite the wrath of this city. I can watch over Caster and her master at night in your absence to make sure nothing happens, and then I'll return to you in the morning."

"If you're sure… are you ok with that Kamijou-san?" Shirou asked.

"If you can give him a shot, I don't see why I can't either." Touma replied. "I guess we still haven't had dinner… I'll fix something; you guys can stick around for it if you want." Touma moved into the kitchen, and Index leapt off the bed to follow him, demanding all kinds of food assortments to eat. Othinus floated over to Shirou's shoulder and landed, and promptly poked his cheek to get his attention.

"If you whole-heartedly wish to follow your stupid goal of being a hero of justice that saves everyone from an unjust fate… I'd follow his example." Othinus pointed to Touma. "He's the closest I've seen to being able to accomplish such a feat… and even then he's been a little bit selfish with his life choices to lead to this point."

"He's… been the closest?" Shirou asked. "How?"

"It just depends if you wish to live for the sake of others, or for the sake of yourself… or a combination of such." Othinus replied. "It depends on what exactly you are after in this life."

"I'm still a little confused…" Shirou replied. Othinus paused for a time before giving her answer.

"If you could give everyone the perfect life that they wanted; every little insignificant thing going perfectly for them for everyone in the world… and the only price you had to pay was your own life, would you do it?" Othinus eyed Shirou for a moment before he answered.

"Huh…? Why would you ask that…? And… furthermore; how is Touma selfish? He's been a really generous and helpful guy so far…" Shirou questioned.

"…He had that choice once." Othinus replied. "…And he chose to live." Othinus left Shirou's shoulder to join Index and Touma in the small kitchen, leaving Shirou to wonder what exactly happened between Othinus the Magic God and a normal high-school teenager known as Kamijou Touma.

* * *

 **Alright, and that's chapter 7 out of the way.**

 **I hope you all liked it! Tell me what you think!**


	8. Unusual Duo

**Next one is here!**

 **No real special notes here; I hope you all enjoy! Be sure to tell me know how I'm doing! ^^**

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"Touma… are you sure you should go to school? With this war going on you could be in danger since you've been seen with me and Caster…" Index whined. She only wanted Touma to stay with her so she and Caster could keep him safe, but Touma shook his head.

"I'm sorry Index… as much as I hate it, if I skip out on the mid-term tests today I'll flunk out for sure." Touma replied, sighing heavily. "I don't want to go either… honestly. I'm not fond of the idea of being hunted from the shadows either…"

"I could stay with you then!" Caster spoke up cheerfully. "In my spirit form I can keep track of you silently!"

"And that leaves Index unprotected…" Touma replied. "Assassin went back to Shirou this morning, remember?"

"But that means it'd be better for you to stay here!" Index replied.

"He has to do what he has to do." Othinus pinched Index's ear with her hands and pulled. "If he fails hard enough, he could get kicked out of Academy City. That would mean moving; abandoning all of his friends… you don't want to put him through that, do you?"

"I guess not…" Index trailed off. "I'm just worried is all…"

"I'll be fine, Index." Touma replied. "Tsuchimikado will be there, and he has Archer, remember? He won't let anything bad happen."

"Are you sure..?" Index looked up at Touma.

"I'm sure. And if somehow anything happens I'll come straight home." Touma replied. Index smiled back at him.

"Ok! Try to have a good day!" Index cheerfully said. Touma waved good bye and left the apartment.

"…You are really attached to him, aren't you?" Caster asked.

"W-well… I…" Index poked her fingers together nervously.

"More like head over heels in love." Othinus said, causing Index to turn bright red. "If only she wasn't a nun who swore herself off for God, then she might have stood a chance."

"B-be quiet! Just because I dress like a nun doesn't mean I am one! And moreover, the same thing could be said for you if you weren't only six inches tall!" Index shouted. "It's kind of hard to pleasure a man when you can barely wrap around his hand, isn't it?

"Why you…!" Othinus turned red herself and started to look angry.

"P-please calm down!" Caster tied her best to stop the soon to be fighting. Othinus eyed her for a moment, and then took a deep breath.

"…It's just as well. Competition for his heart is stiff." Othinus backed off after a moment.

"And how do you know that…?" Index huffed out.

"I had omnipotence a little over a month ago. Remember?" Othinus replied. Index's eyes widened as she realized what Othinus was saying.

"So… you know everyone who…" Index trialed off as she spoke, suddenly feeling embarrassed.

"If they have even the slightest romantic interest in him, I know it." Othinus replied. "You might want to get a move on; Misaka Mikoto is pulling ahead of you in the rankings. Wait too long and she'll raise a flag with him before you do."

"W-wha!? T-then I'll just have to… ugh! What do I do what do I do what do I do!?" Index frantically ran around. "I can't lose to short hair like that! That uncultured girl will corrupt him completely!"

"There's also a busty blond after his heart too. The kind with all the curves in all the right places…" Othinus grinned, knowing exactly the kind of effect her words were having on Index.

"Y-you're kidding!? How… how do I compete with the ultimate male fantasy like that!?" Index shook her head around as she struggled to think.

"…Excuse me… but in this supposed ranking… who is number one?" Caster asked in a suspicious tone.

"…As if I, a Magic God, could lose to a bunch of mortals." Othinus answered.

The response to this statement was Index furiously throwing everything she could find in an attempt to attack the shrunken Magic God.

 **-Academy City Streets, 3:20 PM-**

A single male with a heavily modified cane on his right arm slowly made his way down the street. He appeared to be a skinny teenager and has pale skin, messy white hair and red eyes. He wore jeans and a black shirt with a white furred jacket, and had a choker with an electrode on it. He walked with an annoyed expression, moving slowly due to his apparent impairment.

This teenager was none other than Accelerator; the highest ranked level 5 esper in the entire city, and by proxy, also the strongest esper without exception.

"So! You have finally decided to venture out into this town and mingle with the people, eh?" A loud, booming voice sounded in the male's head. It was deep and commanding in its tone, and the male didn't seem to care for it at all as his face turned sour upon hearing it.

"Shut up you red giant." The Accelerator spoke, cursing the red mark on his right hand that was hidden by his custom cane. "You know full well that I was the one who got picked to head out today, so I don't want to hear any sass from a dead emperor. You lost your opportunity to complain the moment you died."

"Complain? To the contrary! I love to go out and join the town's folk! Your people have such strange and weird customs; it's marvelous to get involved and learn them! After all; these people will be soon my people as well, so of course I'd want to understand their ways of life! It will make dealing with them much easier!" The voice sounded again. It was becoming apparent Accelerator was the only one who could hear it.

"You're awfully confident. You think that you're going to live again? You're shackled to me for the moment, and I'm not interested in international war." Accelerator replied.

"Come on now! Think about it! The conquest; the endless challenges to overcome! The road to rule the world is an endless adventure! Surely that catches a little bit of your eye, hmm?" The voice spoke once more. Accelerator clicked his teeth.

"Not interested. I'm already a big shiny target. Becoming a larger one doesn't sound better"

"It's not all about that! It's a puzzle; do I go to war? Or do I appease them? Do I court their royalty to gain favor? Or do we join forces to take on a mutual threat and become comrades in arms!? Thus are the infinite possibilities! Life will never grow stale!" The voice did its best to try and convince Accelerator to join his cause. When he heard no response, he continued. "Of course… there are also the perks of the conquest. Riches unlike you have ever seen; brilliant lands you could of never imagined! And don't get me started on the countless women you can pursue! Though… on that front, it does seem like you have a fine selection already."

"You leave Last Order out of your delusions, you bastard." Accelerator said in a violent tone.

"I was actually referring to the older one… she seemed about your age yes? And well developed as well, despite her young status… not to mention that fiery personality! Courtship of such a rare find is a conquest all in itself!"

"You leave Worst out of this too. I don't want her being chased after by strange old men." Accelerator replied.

"Please; she is much too young for me. Besides; she seems to have taken quite a shine to you anyway! Surely you've noticed?" The voice laughed. Accelerator only let out a low growl in response. Accelerator walked forward trying his best to ignore the voice in his head. "…Say, we are going rather slowly, are we not? I understand that enjoying the scenery is valuable, but in terms of speed, it would be much easier for me to carry you myself! At least until you recover from whatever injury has left you in such a state."

"Yes; Academy City's strongest esper! Hoisted up and paraded around by the supposed King of Conquerors! That's not inconspicuous at all!" Accelerator mocked. "Like I'm going to let that happen."

"You don't have to be so negative you know. And you want to blend in, yes? Get me some clothes and one of these four wheeled vehicles! As a Rider; I can operate any mode of transportation with ease! Surely as the number one in town, having a body guard of sorts would not be very suspicious, yes?"

"…Honestly, that's not that bad of an idea. Too bad getting my hands on a car is out of the question. Doubt either of those two women would loan me theirs just so I can go around town and kick the shit out of people for some mystic cup." Accelerator replied.

"Ah yes… those two are much more my type." The voice sounded, much to Accelerator's annoyance. He cursed his luck, and cursed the symbols that now reside on his right hand. He walked on thinking about how things could have progressed to this point.

 **-Flash Back, Accelerator's Apartment, a few days ago-**

"But Misaka doesn't wanna…" A sixteen-looking girl whined as she laid down on a couch. She had short brown hair, dark circles around her eyes and orange irises. She wore a pink and white aodai, which somewhat hugged her curves, as she did appear a bit more on the voluptuous side of female body types.

"Worst, for the last time. Its. Your. Turn." Accelerator shouted in a loud violent tone.

"Misaka doesn't see you forcing Last Order to do it." Worst complained.

"She isn't tall enough to reach the sink or the cupboards to put them away, you lazy piece of shit." Accelerator shot back.

"If you do it, Misaka will do it the next two times." Worst replied.

"No."

"Three times."

"No!"

"Four times!"

"What the fuck are you so adamant about this!?" Accelerator shouted. "It's just the dishes!"

"Then why don't you do them?" Worst suggested.

"Because I'm teaching you some general responsibilities for when you go out on your own. Or when I kick your ass out because you piss me off." Accelerator clicked his teeth in frustration.

"Ah? Responsibilities? What kind of woman do you take Misaka for?" Worst replied.

"The kind that stays at home for months on end and gets fat cause she refuses to stand up and do shit for herself." Accelerator shot back.

"Hey now; the only things getting fat on Misaka are Misaka's tits and ass." Worst replied harshly. "You can feel them up if you don't believe Misaka… I assure you this increasingly tight outfit doesn't lie to you…" She added in a coy tone. Accelerator clicked his teeth again.

"Fucking hell… if you're going to be that much of a brat…" Accelerator scratched his head. "Fine. Next four times though, you're doing it; even if I have to hijack your muscle control and force you." Accelerator hobbled away and Worst watched him go. A sly expression formed on her face as Accelerator entered the kitchen. She quickly moved off of the couch and quietly maneuvered over the kitchen entrance and took a place right beside the door, peering inside.

"What are you doing? Misaka Misaka asked in a confused tone." A girl who looked very similar to Worst asked; she appeared however to only be about nine or ten years old, wore a simple blue and white dress, and had brown eyes in comparison to Worst's orange. Worst quickly grabbed the little girl and pulled her over to her side, covering her mouth.

"Be quiet Last Order… this is going to be good…!" Worst whispered as she pulled out a small remote out of her dress.

Accelerator reached into the sink and started washing, but before long he felt a burning sensation on his hand, but before he could pull it out to examine it, a large electric current ran through his body painfully, shooting him back against the countertop behind him. Accelerator slumped to the ground gripping his cane in confusion, which was only cured when he heard Worst laughing.

"You fucking fell for it! As if Misaka would do it four times!" Worst said in-between breaths. "And Misaka got to see the legendary Accelerator flung around like a cannon ball!" She resumed laughing as Last Order struggled against Worst's grip.

"WORST!" Accelerator shouted; his voice full of hate and rage. "You better start running; I'm going to kick the shit out of you if I catch you!" Accelerator lifted himself up to his feet and started marching over to Worst and Last Order. As Accelerator approached the two girls, their expressions seemed to change slowly over to confusion. He didn't question it until a shadow enveloped all three of them and a deep voice sounded from behind him.

"Are either of these two women giving you any trouble?" The voice sounded from behind. Accelerator stopped; he could feel that whoever was invading his apartment was right behind him. He thought for a moment, weighing his options as it wouldn't be able to turn on his electrode quick enough to counter a surprise attack this close.

"…You picked a bad time, you son of a bitch!" Accelerator turned to his right and swung his cane, attempting to distract his assailant so he could use the opportunity. But his cane was only grabbed, and he was lifted into the air, and forced to look into the eyes of the mysterious man behind him.

Accelerator gazed into the fiery eyes of gigantic man standing over two meters in height. He was extremely muscular, complimenting his stature, sternly chiseled features burning red hair and beard. He wore bronze armor with cuffs and greaves with fringes, and a thick mantle, with fringes like his cuffs, dyed in a similar red to his hair, and Its luxuriously decorated appearance gave it the impression of a a curtain wrapping the stage of a theater. He looked serious at first, but he gradually softened into a large smile.

"You're a tad bit on the small side, aren't you?" The man asked.

"…What?" Accelerator seemed absolutely dumbfounded.

"Oh my… tall, muscular, well-toned… Misaka thinks that we have found Accelerator's polar opposite!" Worst commented.

"T-That doesn't change the fact that he just suddenly appeared in the kitchen! Misaka Misaka shouts as she fidgets while still being trapped in your grip!" Last Order described her actions right down to the letter. The man burst into laughter.

"One has the ferocity of a tiger, and the other is adorable as a kitten! You have interesting mates, my friend!" The man continued to laugh as Accelerator struggled against the much larger man's grip.

"What the hell are you talking about!? Put me down or else you bastard!" Accelerator shouted, his other hand reaching for his electrode. Much to Accelerator's surprise the man listened to him and set him down, stepping back a bit and putting his knuckles to his hips in a stance of pride.

"Very well! As your summoning has requested, I, Iskandar, have been summoned to serve you as a Rider in this time of war! May our conquest be grand and the rewards plenty!" The man shouted proudly.

"…Rider? Summoned? How about you explain things a little better before I throw you out of the top floor!" Accelerator was growing increasingly angry and frustrated. Rider however, seemed confused.

"There shouldn't be anything amiss, is there? Though… a kitchen is a very odd place for a summoning ritual…" Rider looked around.

"…Worst, this is your fault." Accelerator looked back at the orange-eyed Misaka with annoyance.

"You can't blame Misaka! All Misaka did was electrocute you and send you across the room like a rag doll!" Worst defend herself. She held up her arms in front of her and ended up releasing Last Order, who then slowly entered the room.

"Woah… Misaka Misaka says as she looks in awe at the giant man." Last Order entered the room.

"Ah, I see… it's a little one! Sorry for that bit of confusion!" Rider picked up Last Order who almost immediately started to giggle as she was lifted high into the air.

"Hey! Put her down!" Accelerator shouted.

"I'm sorry; I didn't know that this one was so young! I suppose it is natural to have only one wife in this day and age, isn't it?" Rider said as she placed the little girl onto his shoulder, who continued to giggle happily, enjoying the attention.

"Woah, hold on. Wife? What kind of girl do you think Misaka is to even touch that man's dick, let alone let him use Misaka as a baby maker?" Worst spoke in a cynical tone.

"I'm here to fight in a war; not judge your taste in men." Rider replied simply.

"…Misaka is getting her rifle. Misaka is solving this problem right now."

"Hold on, if he's going to dig into you like that with no remorse, there may be some value to keeping him around." Accelerator joked. Worst seemed to puff up in anger, but Rider's words interrupted her from shouting back.

"So… are you sure you have no knowledge of summoning me?" Rider asked, setting Last Order on the ground and patting her head.

"None; only magic I know how to use is healing, and that recoils really badly on me." Accelerator replied, seemingly starting to understand the connection between the man's appearance and the magic side of the world.

"So you aren't a true magus… this is most strange…" Rider replied, putting his hand to his chin. "I suppose you don't know why I was summoned either?"

"Not a clue. You kind of just showed up. Don't know why you think I was the one who did it." Accelerator leaned against the counter top.

"Check your right hand; the answer is there." Rider replied. True to his word, a sigil of sorts had appeared on the back of his hand.

This event seemed to seal Accelerators fate in participation in the Holy Grail War, as Rider proceeded to explain exactly what he believed to be happening, as well as describe the wish-granting artifact that was the Holy Grail.

 **-Present-**

"I do not wish to interrupt your thoughts, but it appears we are being followed." Rider's voice rang in Accelerator's head. Rider had vanished into a spirit form and was keeping contact telepathically. Just as Rider said, a group of about four older teens followed Accelerator; one holding a metal bat.

"That's fine; like I said, I'm a big target." Accelerator replied.

"I assume you have a plan, yes?" Rider asked.

"Let them try." Accelerator took a right turn into an alleyway, and the group of four followed. Accelerator reached up and switched on the electrode on his neck as the thug with the metal bat charged at him from behind. Almost the absolute moment the bat made contact however, the force was completely reflected back and the thug was sent flying towards the ground.

The other two charged as well, but with their fists; once again force was manipulated, but this time Accelerator altered it to it would rebound and break their wrists. The two howled out in pain and backed up as the last one generated fire, apparently an esper, end engulfed the entire alleyway in flames. He looked triumphant, but this quickly faded as he saw Accelerator turn around within the fire; the searing hot flames wafting off his body harmlessly.

"You all have made some really bad life choices…!" Accelerator slams his fist into the ground as the entire alleyway broke apart from the resulting shockwave that erupted forth, blasting the four not only out of the alley, but to the other side of the street; the one able to generate flames flying through the windows of a car before slamming into a concrete wall.

"Oho! So that is your… how you called… Esper Ability?" Rider questioned, this being the first time he's seen it.

"More or less… I can alter physics vectors on a whim; doesn't matter where the source is. And that's just me taking it easy." Accelerator turned back around and walked through the still flaming alleyway, coming out to the other side and resuming his route as if nothing had happened.

"…With power like that, after I told you about the Holy Grail and its ability to grant a wish… what is it exactly you want? If you didn't want to participate, you could have just used your three command seals and I would have been on my way. It seems like there is little it could provide for you." Rider questioned.

"I want to make Worst less of a bitch."

"Come now; be serious. You enjoy her antics more than you let on." Rider replied. Accelerator clicked his teeth in response.

"…I just want to correct some past mistakes. Not much else to it." Accelerator replied as he stepped down into the underground mall.

"I understand the desire to fix the past, but it is set in stone. You should stop worrying about your past, regardless of how dark it is, and focus on the future." Rider advised.

"It's not for me." Accelerator replied. "Worst and Last Order… they have a really big family. But a little bit over half of them have passed on… I just think they'd both like to see them again, that's all."

"…I understand. Less of changing the past and more of resurrecting loved ones… If you were doing it for yourself I would object but… there is some nobility in what you are after that I can respect." Rider spoke. Accelerator stopped in front of a clothing store.

"Alright, Rider. Come on out." Accelerator said.

"Oh? But I thought you wanted to blend in?"

"I do; that why we're getting you some local flavors." Accelerator walked inside as Rider materialized behind him.

 **-7:14 PM, Near Accelerator's Apartment Complex-**

"Hahaha! It has been awhile since I experienced the common man's clothes! Somehow they feel more comfortable than before!" Rider walked behind Accelerator, carrying several grocery bags with ease. He was now dressed in a large pair of black shoes, blue jeans, and an almost too-small shirt with the logo of some kind of strategy game that caught Rider's eye. "We did have to do a lot of running around… why?"

"Because there are five or six people living in my apartment, and they all want different things form different places. Normally it takes me longer." Accelerator was carrying a big himself.

"I see… say. When we return the supplies to your accommodations, I would like to join the conquest for the Grail! I have a wish I would like fulfilled myself, you know." Rider explained.

"Getting a little stir crazy?" Accelerator commented. "…Fine. I suppose I can't just hang back and wait for them to come to me all the time." Rider laughed and slapped Accelerator across the back, causing him to stumble.

"Excellent! Our powers combined, the Grail is as good as ours! And then… I can resume my conquest!" Rider spoke in a grand, inspiring tone. This had little to no effect on Accelerator as he kept his pace. As the duo approached Accelerator's apartment building, an oddity happened on the city streets.

Several black, armored vans sped past, enough that it could easily house over one-hundred men. They were easily qualifying of military-class vehicles, and Accelerator noted that they were similar to the vehicles Hound Dog used to attack him and try to kidnap Last Order.

"So many matching metal carriages…" Rider commented.

"…Pain in my ass. Those are military class. Some detachment of Anti-Skill? Or… something else…?" Accelerator commented as they reached the front of the apartment building.

"Military, you say? I know the understanding come combat ready-ness drills, but do you find it weird that they would do so this late? Night is already upon us in the start of these winter months…"

"Not as much as you might think, but they wouldn't be taking a drive like that in the middle of residential areas like this." Accelerator took out his phone as Rider set the grocery bags on the ground.

"So… you are suggesting that they may be going to war?" Rider turned to face Accelerator.

"Big time." Accelerator tapped away at his phone. "Hopefully Worst or Yomikawa get this and come down, I want you to tail them and- hey!" Accelerator shouted as Rider abruptly picked Accelerator up and took him out into the middle of the street. In an instant, Rider had returned to his battle armor. He set Accelerator down and looked toward the direction that the vehicles had gone. "Weren't you listening!? I want you to go after them, and I don't need to follow you for that!"

"I understand… but you did me the courtesy of showing me your power, and I wish to do the same." Rider said as he drew a large sword, and held it high in the sky. The clouds above started to swirl, and a massive bolt of lightning struck just in front of the two, and after it subsided, a large chariot with two massive armored bulls stood, electricity sparking off of them. "This is one of my Noble Phantasms, **Gordius Wheel.** With these children of Zeus pulling it, not even the sky is immune to my conquest!" Rider then picked up Accelerator, much to his dismay, and stepped onto the massive chariot.

"I said I don't need to go! And to only observe them!" Accelerator shouted.

"But you know this city better than I." Rider said. "And moreover, you are the most concerned about their actions, are you not? They may hinder our efforts; their deed could already be done by the time I return to you." Accelerator thought for a moment, and clicked his teeth angrily.

"Fine, but we don't attack until I say so, got it!?" Accelerator shouted. Rider only smiled in response and he whipped the bulls into action, the chariot taking to the air and soaring off into the night sky.


	9. Ambush

**Once again, not much to say here.**

 **I hope you like it!**

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At the same time that Accelerator was starting his shopping trip, Kamijou Touma was exiting school grounds with a sad expression.

"Man… my hands feel like jelly… thank god that's over with…" Touma sighed. "No more tests until next week though! With mid-term done, I can finally focus!"

"That's good news; I trust that your examinations have gone well then?" A female voice said as Touma walked. Confused, he turned his head to his right, only to see Saber in much more normal clothes than her traditional battle armor.

"Huh…? Saber? What are you doing here?" Touma asked.

"I was sent to look after you; with so much confusion as to who is an enemy and who is not, Rin felt it just to send me to your side to guard you from such threats." Saber concluded.

"Ah… you don't say… And she thinks leaving herself open is a good idea? Especially with Thor running around… at least Fiamma doesn't seem that interested in the Grail itself." Touma replied.

"She can call me to her side in an instant if things happen outside of her control; I apologize in advance if such a thing happens." Saber replied. "And she is far from helpless herself; she has much more magecraft at her disposal than just her Gandr."

"I suppose to… also, you don't have to be so formal around me you know; you can loosen up a little." Touma said.

"But… this is how I normally speak; is that a problem, Touma?" Saber cocked her head to the side as Touma sighed.

"…No, not at all." Touma replied. The two then started to walk; Touma in front with Saber close behind. An odd silence was present that made Touma nervous. "H-hey… you don't have to be so quiet… if you want to talk, you can."

"Sorry; I am just taking in the area. This place is significantly different from where I was summoned before." Saber replied, looking around.

"It's alright… but it's not really friendly to magicians or those who commit to magic. It's kind of meant to be its polar opposite and primary opposition I think."

"But why would such a place exist? Why would they be so distrusting of god's gift?" Saber questioned curiously.

"I don't know; maybe they got tired of all the secrecy?" Touma replied. "Magic as a whole seems to be always treated as something to be hidden; as if the rest of the world isn't worth of it. Almost like because they use magic, that they are better than everyone else… I could see someone getting fed-up with that mindset and acting out because of it. Academy City seems to be more than a fair bit open about its discoveries and its esper capabilities… not entirely, mind you, but they are a lot more open than the magic side." The two got on a bus and took it, keeping up their conversation.

"True… not all people are capable of magecraft… and those not able to, grow jealous of those who can; I can imagine magicians being able to becoming complacent in their abilities and shunning those who can't compare…" Saber commented. "But still… why oppose it in its entirety and react so violently towards it?"

"You got me on that one." Touma shrugged. "You'd have to ask the General Superintendent; he's the guy who supposedly founded this place."

"And where might this person be located? I desire to know." Saber asked further. Touma nudged his head towards a building they were now passing. It was tall, white in color, but the most notable thing was that it had no doors or any windows; almost as if it was just a giant block of concrete sticking up out of the ground.

"In there, apparently." Touma replied in an unsure tone. "Rumor has it that inside that building is where the General Superintendent commands the city. He supposedly only meets people that he wants; it's apparently so secure that only a Teleporter Esper can get inside."

"…Not even outside force can rupture the structure?" Saber asked.

"Not many have tried, but so far nothing has even scratched it." Touma replied. It wasn't long before the Windowless Building was out of sight. A short time later they disembarked the public bus.

"Are you sure we took the right vehicle? I don't recognize this portion of the city." Saber commented. Touma let out a grumble.

"I… must have got the schedules messed up… we're all the way in district fifteen… such misfortune…" Touma sighed heavily as he looked at the digital buss schedule on his phone. "I thought something seemed really weird… damn it…"

"Where… are we then?" Saber asked.

"Northern part of the fifteenth district… jeeze… the next bus for district seven doesn't show up for over three hours!? You got to be kidding me!" Touma lamented his misfortune until a familiar voice spoke up.

"Hey, figured you would have been heading home, Kamijou-san? What are you doing out here?" Shirou ran up to the group.

"Bad bus schedule…" Touma sighed. "What about you?"

"I thought I had some kind of lead on whoever was behind this Illegal War… but turns out it was just a bunch of thugs looking to mug someone." Shirou rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment; he had a hard time believing that he was fooled so easily.

"Yeah that happens… Academy City isn't perfect by any stretch of the imagination." Touma replied. "Well; got any other leads? Most of the busses here don't lead back to district seven for several hours; maybe I can help."

"No… sadly. I'm not very good at investigations…" Shirou replied. "Hopefully Tohsaka has better luck."

"You have a lot of faith in her, that's good." Touma replied.

"Of course I do. She may have a bit of a short fuse but she is thorough. She's probably the main reason why I'm any semblance of a magus now, anyway." Shirou scratched his cheek.

"It's good to see that you and Rin have become so close as lovers. I'm happy for you both." Saber smiled at Shirou, who turned a tinge of red in response.

"When you say it like that…" Shirou trailed off.

"If you're going to start going off about how much you love her, I'm going to start walking home." Touma stated in a dry tone.

"S-sorry. I don't mean to make you feel left out…" Shirou apologized.

"Its fine; Kamijou is just unlucky is all. All he gets is bitten by Index and shocked by Misaka." Touma sighed. "Either way, I think since we're stuck here I want to grab something to eat. If I'm going to be stuck here waiting for so long I'm going to treat myself a bit. You guys can come if you want." Touma started to walk away.

"…Shirou. Aren't certain forms of aggression between men and women of this time often a form of displaying affection or romantic interest? Especially if it happens regularly from the same person?" Saber asked.

"…Most of the time, yeah." Shirou replied, remembering how Rin acted previously when they first met.

"…Touma is an oblivious man, isn't he?"

"Definitely seems that way." Shirou replied. The two then proceeded to follow Touma on his quest to find a proper eatery of his liking. As the three traveled, Shirou's thoughts suddenly turned to what Othinus said to him the other night.

"Let's see… no… not in the mood for Italian…" Touma thought out loud as he walked.

"Hey, Kamijou-san?" Shirou called out. "You said you were involved with a lot of incidents, right? Other than this and World War Three?"

"Yeah; what about it?" Touma replied.

"Can I ask what exactly has happened to you? For someone who gets into a lot of trouble, you seem rather laid back." Shirou asked.

"Well… they are just kind of normal for me now sadly…" Touma replied. "Well… there's the Gremlin stuff… but beyond that… let's see…" Touma crossed his arms as he thought. "There was the bit with Index having to have her memories erased every year… took care of that with some complications afterward. There was that time with all of those sisters having to be killed; put a stop to that too. The Angel Fall situation… The problem with Orsola being hunted by the Roman Catholics… man… there are a lot of stories; I guess I really have been involved with a lot over the past year."

"…Touma." Saber called out. "You get involved with so much, yet you don't seem dissuaded from the negative events that befall you… what exactly do you get out of helping people?"

"Eh? I've said it before and I'll say it again; you don't need a reason to help someone." Touma replied. "I help people because I want to; that's about it. There's never been any sort of superficial reason behind my actions."

"So you act to save those in need… purely because you desire to do so then?" Saber questioned further.

"Yeah; that's it. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't do it. It's not a situation where I'm acting because I have the power or anything; I'd probably still try to help people with or without Imagine Breaker. That's just how I am." Touma replied.

"Do you have any regrets?" Saber stepped closer, keeping better pace with Touma.

"…Well, there's one thing… its less of a regret and more of something I wish didn't happen but…" Touma trailed off. "I'd… rather not talk about it. It was a long time ago anyway. It's something I can't trust to just anyone." Touma sighed. "Why all the questions, anyway? Your starting to seem creepily interested…"

"S-sorry!" Saber moved back away from Touma as embarrassment covered her face. "I was just… wondering. We don't really know you so…" Saber trailed off, and Touma chucked lightly.

"You're fine, just don't get so personal." Touma replied. "There's asking stuff about someone then there's asking a life story, you know."

"I suppose it's my fault too…" Shirou rubbed his head. "Just trying to figure out the kind of person you are, I guess. To me, it sounds like everyone thinks you're some kind of hero."

"Eh… I disagree. I'm just a single unlucky highschooler trying to find his place in life, all the while having trouble saying no to people who need a helping hand." Touma replied. Shirou and Saber exchanged looks as Touma finally seemed to find a place to eat.

 **-A Few Hours Later-**

After the meal, Shirou departed, saying that it would be best if he tracked down Rin, worrying about her safety as the day passed. Touma said it would be alright if Saber went with him, but she simply stated that she was given very specific orders to not let Touma out of her sight, much to Touma's dismay. As the sun started to set, the bus finally arrived and Touma and Saber boarded, letting off in district seven, about twenty five minutes away from Touma's home.

"Finally, the end of my journey is in sight!" Touma shouted happily.

"Do misfortunes such as this follow you throughout your normal life, as well?" Saber asked.

"Yeah… sadly. Kamijou Touma's life is nothing but a series of misfortunate events." Touma replied.

"Toumaaaa!" Index came running down the sidewalk and promptly tackled Touma to the ground. She was quickly followed by Caster.

"I'm so sorry! I tried my best to keep her inside, but she tricked me!" Caster stated.

"Touma! Where have you been! I was worried about you!" Index whined.

"I called and left a message on the answering machine!" Touma shouted.

"I don't care! Why didn't you make it home sooner!?" Index demanded. Touma chopped lightly her on the head causing her to recoil.

"I told you; there was a mix-up with the bus! Stop crying already!" Touma replied. Index responded by biting Touma's hand, causing him to cry out in pain.

"…I'm happy you're ok, Touma." Index abruptly hugged Touma after a short time. He was confused, but returned the affectionate embrace.

"Don't worry. I told you I'd be ok, didn't I?" Touma said.

"Index is… being more affectionate than usual…" Saber commented.

"Othinus was messing with her earlier today…" Caster whispered. Saber nodded in understanding.

"Well, let's get going. I'm guessing we're going out tonight to try and track down this guy who started everything, right?" Touma stood up tall.

He immediately slumped over, as if something with great force had just hit him. All three of the girls looked on in shock and horror, confusing Touma. He looked to his right and noticed why; there was now a large gaping hole in his right shoulder. Whatever had done it; it hit him so fast he didn't even have a chance to feel the pain. Another hole opened up in his left shoulder, and then both of his thighs; the severance of his muscles suddenly made it impossible for him to stand, and he promptly fell over.

"N-no! Touma!" Index moved over to Touma's motionless body instantly. "No… no no no… what happened…!?"

"A hidden attack…!" Saber immediately switched into her battle armor and drew her sword covered in Invisible Air.

"…Silenced sniper fire. Probably with a silencer" Caster suddenly stated, moving to Touma's body and holding out her hands in an attempt to cast healing magic. However, no matter what she tried, nothing worked. The most she could do was momentarily stop the bleeding before some kind of outside forced stopped her. "What is happening…? This should be working by now…!"

"Imagine Breaker!" Index shouted, noticeable tears in her eyes. "Imagine Breaker… If you're casting it all over him, it must be negating it somehow… oh no…. Touma…!" Her voiced cracked.

"We need to move him. If we leave him here…!" Saber trailed off. As they tried to lift him, several explosives hit the ground all around them, in essence trying to keep them confined, before a flash bang was thrown, blinding the entire group. They heard the sound of several vehicles, including one racing right toward them. On sound alone, Saber aimed her sword and unleashed her Invisible Air, sending a devastating shockwave into the oncoming vehicle, sending it flying.

When the light faded however, they found out that the vehicle was just a distraction. As they were now surrounded by a series of military style vehicles with a large detachment of armed men around and inside them; all with firearms pointed toward them.

"Damn it…!" Saber cursed, turning her blade against the insurmountable odds. A voice rang out over what seemed to be a megaphone, but none of the soldiers seemed to speak.

"Hold your ground, move and we will shoot!" The voice demanded. "The woman with white hair and red eyes; we are after her and only her. Surrender her to us and we will let you take the boy to safety."

"Like hell!" Saber shouted, running forward. A large spider-like machine seemed to materialize out of thin-air behind the military vehicles, holding up one arm, looking like it had a verity of large barrels on it, and began shooting at Saber as she ran. She was able to move quickly enough to deflect the rounds with her sword, but two missiles came from nowhere and hit the ground next to her; the explosive force propelling her through the air, causing her to slam into the concrete building behind her.

"Saber-san!" Caster shouted, turning towards the fallen warrior.

"You… all…!" Saber slowly pushed herself up. "Do you have… no honor…!? Harming an innocent boy…!?" Her state right now was a mixture of confusion and rage all at the same time.

Anger because they intended to assault Touma, and confusion as to why she was injured. To damage a servant, someone needs to damage a Servant's Magic Core; which was normally only possible via supernatural phenomena. How did seemingly normal bullets cause her harm? She had little time to wonder as the commander began to speak once more.

"Men, de-cloak and reveal yourselves; show them that there is no negotiations here." The voice shouted. Several smaller spider-like machines faded into existence on top of the vans, apparently hiding there. They were not as heavily armed as the large one, but had noticeable missile launchers mounted on their backs. Even several soldiers suddenly appeared, revealing much larger numbers being present. "I will repeat only once more; hand over the woman. Or the boy dies."

"No… no no no!" Index shouted, standing up and turning her body towards the soldiers. "You attack Touma, then you go off making demands!? Bring Touma back! Bring him back right now! If you don't… I'll… I'll do something you'll all regret!" She continued to shout, tears in her eyes.

"…Weapons free; wait for the boy to expire before opening fire. Sniper round incoming." The voice rang out. Index was getting ready to shout again, but a sickening sound suddenly erupted on the same frequency as the Commander inside the tank.

Screams. Painful, and sorrowful howls of terror, combined with pleads for life and gunfire. The Commander's megaphone suddenly burst with noise as he spoke on the radio line privately inside his command tank.

"I don't know what kind of trick you're trying to pull S-2376, but knock it off! We have the situation under control without you hamming up over the line, over!" The commander let go of his end of the radio. No response. "S-2376, I know you can hear me, respond now, over!" No response. "S-2376, say something to me, damn it!"

He got an answer this time. In the form of shouting and shock from outside his tank, coming from his own men. He looked outside to see a mangled corpse dressed in military garb; just like his soldiers. The body laid motionless right in front of his defensive line. "Men, respond, what the hell just happened!?"

"I-I don't know sir… H-he… just fell from… the sky…!" One soldier responded over the line.

"I-Its S-2376, Sir! S-2376 is down, sir!" Another responded.

"What the hell… did one of them move…!?" The commander didn't get a chance to act as something hit the ground just a small distance away, in front of the group they were assaulting. Several men started shooting instantly. "Cease fire! Cease fire! I did not order you to attack until the boy was dead!" Gunfire stopped, but not because his men followed his orders. Bullets flew right back out of the smoke just as quickly as they entered; shredding the few men that opened fire almost instantly. The Commander looked in in a mixture of confusion and fear as the dust tied down.

The fading dust cloud vanished, revealing a large tan man in armor with his muscular arms crossed, and a much smaller boy of about sixteen years old. White Hair. Red Eyes.

"A… Accelerator…!?" The commander choked out. "What are you doing here…!?"

"…It seems you went and fucked up." Accelerator shouted back.

"R-Rider…!?" Saber spoke up, shocked.

"It's been awhile!" Rider greeted back, turning around for a moment. "I only wish that our meeting would have been under better terms, young king."

"What… do you mean..!? I have my orders! What are you doing here!?" The commander shouted with his megaphone on and blasting sound.

"Kamijou Touma." Accelerator said simply. "On the official do-not harm list, according to my research. I don't know why that is but… seems like you just broke it."

"Broke… it…!? But… I was only told about the women…!" The Commander shouted back.

"But… I'm not here in response to that… quite frankly; I just can't stand the idea of that fucking hero losing to a bunch of pieces of shit like you… so here I am!" Accelerator grinned wide; his face radiating with violence incarnate. Several of the soldiers started to back up. "Oh but don't worry… I won't kill you myself… heh!" He then turned to face Rider behind him, stepping off to the side. "Say… when someone hurts someone close to you; someone you absolutely want to keep alive… what is your reaction, Rider?"

"…Would you like me to merely state it? Or would you prefer me to show it?" Rider stepped forward.

"Whatever you like. I trust your judgement." Accelerator replied.

"All soldiers, you are free to engage! Free to eng-" He was cut off when Rider began to speak again.

"ENOUGH!" He shouted, his voice somehow overpowering the megaphone. "You all have committed a grievous sin! Not only have you assaulted someone close to my current partner, but you attempted to end a young boy's life, right in the spark of his youth, for no greater reason than "orders!" That is no different than senseless killing, you have no ambition! No spirit to validate your existence! THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE! Your honor as men is forfeit!"

Rider's voice as so booming and over-powering, not a single person dared to interrupt him.

"Had you come peacefully, we could have reached an agreement! We could have shared wine, feasted upon food, and sorted out our differences. But instead, it would seem that you lot desire battle as much as I! So I will answer your challenge to the rules of war in kind with one of my own!" A large whirlwind seemed to kick up, blasting dust and air all over the area. Several people suddenly found it difficult to stand. Despite the feeling, this force was emanating from Rider's body itself.

"What is this…!?" Index questioned.

"Stay close to me Index… and help me hold Kamijou-san…!" Caster warned. "He is about to… unleash his full strength!"

"Boy… no… Accelerator! You desired to see how I would react to the atrocities that these men have committed, yes!?" Rider called out.

"You better not disappoint me now… you're talking really big!" Accelerator continued to grin. In turn, Rider's own face broke out into a smile.

"Then watch; as I show them the true meaning of taking something for yourself, the reality of conquering! I will show them the Might of Iskandar, King of Conquerors!" A bright light enveloped the entire street, blinding everyone, including the soldiers. Only when it faded did they truly realize what was happening.

When the light was gone; they were no longer in Academy City. They were in a desert so massive that no one could see where it began or where it ended. It was like the entire world had been turned into dust.

"This is a… Reality Marble…!?" Index commented.

"Stay back. Wounds like that aren't fatal; but it would be wise to keep him safe." Accelerator spoke to Index as he moved back to the group, seemingly insistent on letting Rider handle the show.

"Just like… how it was back then…!" Saber commented. She suddenly started feeling significantly better as her wounds started to close; Caster had begun to heal her.

"So! Accelerator! What do you think of a King's power, eh!?" Rider called out.

"Not bad… but not good… so what?" Accelerator called out.

"Then just you wait; you're about to bear witness to my greatest treasure!" Rider replied. "My pride as a king!"

"GPS systems failing… god damn it, where are we!?" The commander shouted from within his spider tank. That's when he heard it; footsteps. Marching of an army. An army that was not his.

Just over the dunes behind rider, tens of thousands of armored soldiers, all dressed in different forms of armor, all holding ancient weapons from ages past, suddenly appeared and began marching forward. The image was so shocking, not a single soldier raised their arms to try and attack. As the group looked behind, they were just as awestruck.

"Behold! The loyal army of my greatest heroes of my own legends! My true friends who have waged endless war at my side! My greatest treasure within treasures; they're my right to rule! They make up my mightiest Noble Phantasm… **Ionian Hetairoi!"** At his word, the army cheered and roared out. Thunder suddenly struck, and Rider's **Gordius Wheel** was once more at his side, which he quickly boarded.

"Now that's more like it! You're not so useless after all, Rider!" Accelerator called out, the first true time praising his servant. Rider took great pride in the fact that someone who could be called the King of Espers had decided to compliment him.

"Accelerator; you asked what I would do to these men for the actions… and this is my answer! Fight them in such a way that their chance of victory is absolutely zero!" Rider shouted, and his men followed suit; the thunderous roars of a seemingly infinite supply of men. "Behold, my comrades! Those fools in black and metal beasts! They are our enemy! They threaten us, with their futuristic weaponry! With that, they may seem like gods… but never fear! Under my command, even the realms of gods are not immune to our blades! Annihilate them!" Rider swung his blade forward, his divine bulls charging forward along with his army.

And thus began a war between past and future itself.


	10. The King of Conquerors

**And here we go! Not much to say here.**

 **I hope you all like it!**

* * *

"Are you feeling better, Saber?" Caster asked simply.

"Much; thank you." Saber slowly stood, getting her footing in the vast sandy desert. Rider's Soldiers raced forward, yelling battle-cries and shouting at the top of their lungs as they charged into battle. "To think that we would find ourselves here again…"

"Unfortunately, we don't have the time to drink it all in." Caster moved her attention over to the fallen Touma, who was unconscious.

"He's breathing… but all this sand and dust can't be good for his wounds…" Index said.

"Precise healing is working… but the damage is severe… by the time I can halt blood flow from one wound another that I had already tended to opens back up… the firearms of these man have done more damage than I can seem properly tend to in conditions like this…" Caster explained with frustration evident on her face.

"…I understand." The armor covering Saber's own arms hand vanished, leaving only the cloth of her dress behind. She tore off the sleeves at the shoulder one by one and split those into two pieces each. "Will these do? They may not be proper bandages, but for keeping the extremes out of his injuries, they should be more than enough."

"Yes… yes!" Index happily took the cloth as Saber's armor appeared once more. "These will work… thank you!" Saber smiled at Index and nodded, before suddenly bursting forward, seemingly preparing to fight.

Gunshots rang out seemingly on an infinite loop. It was a war between the past and future; Academy City's high-tech armaments against Rider's endless army of soldiers lost to time itself. Spears and arrows rained from the sky; forcing Academy City's armed forces to take cover behind their vehicles just to attempt to ward off the assault. Their firepower was absolutely superior, but for every man they slew, three more charged forward to replace their fallen comrade.

"GPS systems still can't find us… god damn it, where the hell are we!?" The Commander shouted as his own Armored Walker unloaded into the army rapidly gaining ground. "I never received word about any of this… all we were ordered to do was capture the woman for one of the board directors; they were all supposed to be expendable…!? What the hell is someone doing involved that is strictly forbidden from interfering with…!?" The commander continued to question his orders as a sudden horrible realization popped into his mind.

The possibility that he is being used; that this operation was meant to be a precursor to a coup; the commands of who cannot be engaged or interfered with is made by the General Superintendent himself, after all. The only one who could order against this was the very same man who gave the order in the first place.

If this was the case; he and his men were ordered into treason. Regardless of the situation; it was becoming more than apparent that they were ordered here not to actually capture a simple woman; they were actually ordered here this night to die.

Be it in combat or punishment for betraying Academy City.

But the former was looking far more likely as despite their vastly superior arms, the army of Rider was quickly closing in and starting to surround them.

"Reengaging active cloaking… activate autonomous assault drones; setting targets… all units are clear to use all forms of combat; defend yourselves with everything you have!" The command walker vanished into the sand as the combat walkers on top of the vans activated, a single red eye glowing in front of them all.

"ACTIVATION… COMPLETE. WEAPON SYSTEMS… ONLINE. MISSION PARAMETERS ACCEPTED. ENGAGING COMBAT MODE." All ten of the combat walkers sent out this message at once before each one leapt off the vehicles and began to quickly move around the desert sands; each leg seemingly being wheeled and able to traverse the sandy planes. They all fired with high caliber rounds as they patrolled the defensive line. When the army started to push in, missiles shot upward out of the walkers and then fell down onto the encroaching soldiers. Finally; their defensive line was set and with explosive devices in hand, they were able to hold.

But this wouldn't last forever. Rider himself burst from his own army's offensive line and charged forward on his Gordius Wheel. All the soldiers and mech walkers simultaneously opened fire on Rider as he charged forward.

"Your arms may be great, but if you expect an easy battle, then allow me to surprise you! **Via Expugnatio!"** As the bulls charged forward, with each step, lightning itself shot out of the bull's hooves. The electricity arced out, destroying the incoming projectiles, as well as ripping through Academy City's soldier's defensive line' blasting right through the military vans they were using as a shield, and several of the mech walkers; their main offensive play. The bulls rammed straight into one of the walkers, smashing it to pieces almost instantly, as the charge ran straight into and through the defensive line; shattering it to pieces. Rider's army finally had the opening they needed to push forward, and it wasn't long before the futuristic military was surrounded.

"Sir!" One of Rider's men called out. "The large metal beast has vanished!"

"I am fully aware; but regardless of its disguises, it cannot hide forever. Push forward onto them and crush every last soldier; that should lure it out!" Rider replied as he whipped his bulls into action once more, charging forward for a second pass with his Gordius Wheel. However, something large slammed into the side of his Noble Phantasm; the force of which ejected Rider and sent him into the air. Rider landed on his back, and as he tried to rise a massive force slammed into his chest, pinning him down. Behind the guise of invisibility, the command walker pressured one leg placed firmly on Rider's chest, attempting to crush him, and then took aim with one arm; its gun barrels down at him, intent on finishing him off.

This event didn't go unnoticed however; as although Saber could not see the command walker, she could plainly see the effects it was having on Rider, as well as its leg's depressions in the sand.

"I will not let your deceitful tactics earn you a victory!" She suddenly shouted, aiming her blade at the command walker. **"Strike Air!"** The Invisible Air suddenly dispersed, unleashing itself as a massive blast of wind. It slammed right into the command walker's side with enough force to send it airborne; the mech slammed into the ground and rolled for a time until it found itself awkwardly on its side.

"Damn… it…!" The Commander cursed. "Re-setting gyros…" He started flipping switches and pressing a variety of buttons, but stopped when several alarms went off, signaling him of a critical failure in one of the mech's legs.

Rider, then back on his feet, had stabbed his sword into one of the mech's leg's joints. Black oil started to leak out as he continued to strike, damaging the hydraulic systems, before eventually gripping the weakened leg with both of his arms, putting one leg against the mech itself for leverage, and pulled hard enough to forcefully remove it; the leg tearing at the mangled joint. The mech tried to stand, but the balance was completely thrown off by the missing limb, causing it to fall.

"Damn it all! I won't die… I won't let myself be killed by such a fucking tactic like this!" The commander shouted. "Sent to die…!? I don't care! I'll bring myself right out of this hell, and get my own revenge of the piece of shit who ordered this operation!" He started rapidly activating several systems of his command tank. He only paused for a moment to look through his monitor as his men fighting for their lives.

With the defensive line broken by Rider's assault, along with several of the walkers annihilated, Rider's army finally pushed inward and was starting to engage the soldiers in close range combat. It wasn't just the numbers bringing them luck; ammunition was already starting to run low. Rider's army was seemingly infinite; no matter how many they killed there were always more behind them, and eventually the soldier's ammo stores started to run out. With their primary weapons exhausted, Rider's army was able to push inward effortlessly; in close range they had the clear advantage with their metal armor and superior body structure.

It wasn't long until Academy City's forces were completely overrun.

"It… can't be…!" The commander slammed his hands into the console in front of him. "We've got the best soldiers… the best equipment… the best of everything! How… how could we lose to these Neanderthals!?" The commander shouted louder. An option appeared on his console; calling for the mech's most powerful armament; miniature thermonuclear ballistic missiles. With strategic placement, it could wipe out Rider's army, he thought.

And with most of his comrades dead, the few that remained fighting for their lives, he had little other choice.

He pressed the button as sirens started to blare; the back of the mech opening up, revealing four rather large missiles, preparing for launch. Just as the commander's last resort revealed itself, another alarm went off, alerting of something above his mech.

"Rider!" Accelerator shouted. He hung in the air, flying with four cyclones of air whirling from his back, hovering just above the command walker. "Get clear unless you want to die, got it!?"

Rider wordlessly nodded, and whistled loud. A black horse appeared running past him, and he grabbed ahold of the might beast's reigns and pulls himself up on top of it as it ran. Satisfied, Accelerator suddenly shot downward like a bullet, slamming a fist into one of the large bombs preparing to fire.

The commander hit the emergency eject button as the missiles exploded; ejecting the cockpit. The explosions triggered one after another, their massive force ripping the command walker apart and propelling the ejected cockpit cross the battlefield. It slammed and bounced several times in the sand, before slowing to a halt.

The commander breathed heavily. That was his last offensive play. It failed. He felt metal clangs against the outer edges of his cockpit; Rider's soldiers had found him. His last hope was to stay inside, but that was shattered quickly. The back of the cockpit was suddenly ripped open, a bright light shining into the darkly lit metal tomb. The commander instinctively drew his revolver from his side, but slowly lowered it when he saw who had ripped open his last line of defense.

Accelerator. The One Way Road. An esper so powerful, that not even the largest nuclear bombs could even hope to pierce his defenses. He aimed a simple handgun at the commander, who began to laugh softly.

"That's… not fair, you know…" The commander spoke softly, his spirit broken. "You're already so stupidly strong… why would you need something like that, huh?"

"It helps out in a lot of ways; sometimes I can't be bothered with pieces of shit like you." Accelerator replied, lowering his own handgun. "Who sent you…?"

"T-The… board of directors…"

"Which one?" Accelerator stepped inside. "Give me a name or I'll tear off every single piece of you. Slowly. So you can feel every single inch of you be ripped apart, one by one…"

"You don't really need to threaten me… you make it sound like you intend to let me walk away from this alive…!" The commander replied.

"If you had played nice and didn't shoot that fucking hero, I would have considered it." Accelerator walked forward; the commander reflexively backed up. "But you had to go and try to kill him; couldn't try the roll up approach with your big guns, no."

"S-stay back…!" The commander felt himself touch the console; blocking his way.

"I suppose I really don't need you to tell me who sent you; I'm sure I can trace this order of yours… that makes you more than a little bit expendable…"

"Stay back!" The commander demanded again. Accelerator grinned wide, and put both of his hands on the commander's shoulders.

"Come on… don't you remember?" Accelerator's grin widened. "I said I wasn't going to kill you. Don't play around with me like that…"

"Y-you're… not…?" The commander's voice raised itself, a faint glimpse of hope showing itself.

"You want to live, right?" Accelerator asked. The Commander slowly nodded, and Accelerator's grin widened even more when he saw. "Then fight for it." Accelerator heaved the much larger man over his shoulder and threw him out into the desert. He rolled for a time before managing to get his footing.

He was completely surrounded on all sides. He looked around feverously; searching for an exit. There was none. He heard a horse; a small break in the crowd let Rider himself step into the circle. Shortly after entering, Rider dismounted his steed, petting it lightly, before sending it back.

"You're all that's left, you know." Rider spoke.

"Don't mess with me!" The commander raised his revolver and shot all six of his rounds. Rider quickly drew his blade once more and deflected each one. In a fit of anger the commander threw his gun at Rider; who effortlessly caught it. Almost curious, he played with the gun in his hand for a time.

"This era's weaponry is so small… but can cause so much damage. One attack from this to the head can kill a man, can't it?" Rider smiled. "Impressive. I will say it does not feel the same as having a blade; but I cannot argue its power. Your army took out quite a few of my friends… and all these need is a bit of steel and a little gunpowder… truly amazing."

"Don't patronize me!" The commander shouted. "How… how are you doing this…!? This doesn't make any sense!"

"This is the world we have all trotted more than once in our lifetime. The world that is very real; it exists in all of our hearts, and as all of our hearts roar out, that world in our souls becomes real. What you may think is mere teleportation is the world that lives in us all!" Rider replied, his soldiers cheering out in response.

"What… do you want from me…!?" The commander was at his wits end. His body burned; his eyes ached.

"What happens here is your own fault." Rider commented. "Your own failure as a man and leader; your army is broken and you are all that remains. I don't know why you want that woman for; but I, Iskandar, King of Conquerors, refuse to acknowledge such a poor leader, unable to hold his own with such fine weaponry! You attempted to kill humble boy with such cowardly methods and not even for fulfilling your own ambitions!"

"I didn't have a choice… I didn't…!" The commander repeated as if on a loop.

"…You did. Your entire life has been a series of choices; and they all lead you here. You can argue this all you want; it does not change the fact that everything you've done has led to this very moment. Now it is time for you to pay for those terrible choices you have made!" Rider held his sword up high.

"You don't understand… You don't understand!" The commander feverously looked around, seeing a spear sticking out of the ground. He ripped it out of the sand and charged towards Rider, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Rider returned this action in turn, shouting some kind of battle-cry as he ran forward himself, charging the lost commander.

He thrust his spear forward; Rider easily dodged. He brought his mighty blade down on top of the commander; who blocked as well as he could with the spear in his hands.

The blade tore the spear and his body in two instantly. He fell apart, landing in the desert sand shortly after. Rider looked around briefly, observing his army as the sounds of battle died down. He raised his blade into the air, and shouted as loud as he could; a mighty roar of victory. His army followed suit, cheering as shouting as they proclaimed their victory.

And in an instant, the Reality Marble was over. The group returned to the streets of Academy City. With the remains of their assailants strangely absent; as if they were never there to begin with.

"It's over… thank god…" Index sighed out. She turned back towards Touma. His wounds were indeed closed, blocked with Saber's cloth, but he was still very much unconscious.

"I… still can't heal him…" Caster sighed. "Precision healing can only do so much with wounds like these… he has such a powerful ability… yet it hinders him in such a way…"

"Take off those makeshift bandages." Accelerator clicked off his electrode as he grabbed ahold of his discarded cane, and slowly approached, kneeling down at Touma's side. "Got to make sure none of those shots left any lead shavings. Should be simple." The three worked at Touma's body, Saber looked on. Her clothes regenerated quickly now that she was out of combat. She sighed lightly, being unable to help with first aid. She almost stumbled forward when she felt a mighty smack to her back, followed by a bellow of laughter.

"Saber! Long time no see; it seems I owe you my life this night!" Rider greeted, laughing louder. Saber seemed confused, but smiled back at Rider.

"Think nothing of it. You were assisting my allies after all. It is only natural to assist each other when our goals are the same." Saber stated.

"You seem a tad bit perkier than last time we met." Rider crossed his arms.

"A lot of things have happened since the fourth war. I was involved with the fifth as well, you know."

"So… twice… no; three times in a row then, counting now? I'm not sure if you are lucky or misfortunate!" Rider laughed. "I take it you lost the fourth and fifth?"

"…Technically, My master and I won the fifth, but no wish was granted. There was much revealed about the Grail's true nature." Saber replied. "Plus… I think I can finally say I have no regrets about what has happened in ages past. After all… if I wasn't made into the king… something far worse could have occurred."

"I see… second guessing yourself then… I suppose that's for the best regardless. I'm glad you've come to terms with your past life then." Rider nodded. "Though I wonder what these things are that you learned…"

"It is a long story… if we have more time; I shall reveal it to you. Consider it a reward for assisting me." Saber replied.

"So… that boy… is he your master? I can't feel an ounce of mana from him…" Rider commented. Saber shook her head.

"No… he is an ally of my current master. That boy currently does not have a servant. But I would not underestimate him… Noble Phantasms are useless on their own against him." Saber replied.

"You don't say…" Rider put one hand to his chin. "…I shall take your word for it. If my master got as mad as he did seeing this boy nearly die, he must have some kind of significance to him. Maybe that power you speak of is how they are connected…" Rider looked up towards the sky. "I kind of feel sorry for that sharpshooter we found first… I've never seen a man twisted in such a way."

"It seems you have a very powerful master." Saber commented.

"Indeed!" Rider laughed cheerfully. "He's more than a little violent, as you could see…and has a short temper on top of that, and he doesn't like hearing different people's opinions against his own, all excellent qualities of one destined for conquest! And on top of that, despite his lanky appearance, within him I can tell the heart of a true man beats! I guess this is the end result when someone so young gets so much power, eh?"

"I suppose so…" Saber replied.

"Rider." Accelerator called out. "Get your chariot out over here. We got a job to do." Rider nodded, his Gordius Wheel once again arrived with the glorious sound of thunder.

"Duty calls, as they say." Rider cheerfully said. He pulled his chariot over to the group. "Where to next?"

"Hospital; I'll tell you where to go." Accelerator replied. "Help me get him on. This fucking hero's gonna need to get looked over." Rider lifted Touma up with incredible ease, placing him on his chariot. Rider stepped on himself and Accelerator joined him, kneeling down to hold Touma's body steady.

"Wait." Caster stepped forward. "I have to ask; why exactly did you help us?"

"None of your damn business." Accelerator replied. "Those fuckers came here after you, yeah? I think you lost the right to question others about their motivations here."

"I… am aware of that… I know that me being here is causing him trouble… but…" Caster trailed off.

"…Seems like people like you are just attracted to this fucking hero like a magnet." Accelerator clicked his teeth. "Don't blame yourself. This fucker gets involved with whatever he damn well feels like and doesn't necessary care about your opinion on the topic. If he wants you saved, he's going to save you; nothing else about it."

"I know that… but… then why did you save him?" Caster asked again.

"Because the only person who has even a remote right to kill this piece of shit hero is me, and don't make me have to tell you that again!" Accelerator shouted. This left the group silent. After a short time, Accelerator signaled Rider to take off, and the two departed with the unconscious Touma.

"…Are you sure it was wise to let them go like that?" Saber asked simply.

"I've met him." Index replied. "Accelerator… is very mean and gruff… but he has a good heart deep down. He wants to do the right thing… I think it's just a situation where sometimes the world won't let him."

With that, the group departed to inform their allies of the situation at hand, and to tell them that all of the main seven masters have finally been revealed.

But it wasn't long before the orchestrator of these events decided to take to the stage himself.


	11. Aftershocks

**I'm starting to think i need more stuff to say in these... oh well! Here is the next one!**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"So… that's what happened… huh?" Touma sighed. "Regardless of why, it looks like I'm stuck here… yet again… such misfortune."

True to his word, Accelerator brought Touma to the main hospital of district seven. When he had woken up, he only saw the walls of a familiar room that he would often find himself after his various clashes with the world. The Frog-Faced doctor had already looked him over, and seemed to get a chuckle or two out of the fact that Touma had no idea what had happened to him.

It wasn't long before Saber managed to infiltrate his room to resume her duty as his guard. She brought up that it was decided that she'd meet him first and inform him of the night's events. It wasn't long before Shirou and Rin themselves decided to pay him a visit. It could be assumed that Assassin was in his spirit form as well.

"Hey… how are you holding up?" Shirou asked as he stepped into the hospital room. Rin wasn't that far behind, she seemed to be carrying something in a plastic sack.

"I'm alright… definitely sore, but that's to be expected." Touma waved.

"Moving your arms already, huh? Figured pierced muscles from an attack like that would leave you immobile for a while." Rin commented.

"I have a really good doctor. The kind that it doesn't matter what kind of state you're in; if you're alive, he can heal you." Touma replied.

"Sounds like even medical technology of this place is top of the line…" Shirou commented as he looked around the room, before setting his eyes back on Touma. "Are you hungry?"

"A little… but I'm fine; I can't leave to get something anyway." Touma replied. "I'm stuck in this bed until I'm discharged."

"We might have something to change your mind, Kamijou-san~" Rin said in a coy tone. Touma seemed confused.

"Well… you've been basically taking care of us whenever we're over… so I figured it was time to repay the hospitality." Shirou nodded towards Rin who put the sack on Touma's lap. Opening it up, he saw a to-go box with a magic seal on it. Touma touched it with his right hand and dispelled it, opening up and revealing what seemed to be a full-course breakfast; a large batch of scrambled eggs, toast, sausage and even bacon.

"W-what is this…!?" Touma seemed blown away.

"A thank you for your hospitality." Rin proudly said. "Cooked by our very-own Emiya Shirou! And enchanted by me so it would stay fresh just for you." She patted Shirou on the back who seemed to laugh nervously.

"Y-you're kidding… for me?" Touma seemed to happy tears were coming to his eyes. "A full meal… home cooked that I didn't have to make for myself and share with Index…"

"You… seem easy to please…" Shirou commented.

"Such a gift is clearly one from the heart! You are this unlucky Kamijou's hero this day! Thank you; thank you both!" Touma seemed to cry out in an over the top fashion.

"N-no problem…" Both Shirou and Rin seemed to be caught off guard by Touma's sudden outburst.

But something seemed to be off about the eggs.

"Hrm… you sure your magic didn't do anything weird? The eggs are moving." Touma commented.

"No way, let me see that!" Rin replied, moving to look inside for herself.

Indeed; the eggs were moving. After a short time the reason was revealed, as Othinus seemed to rise up out of the eggs, covered by them.

"O-Othinus!? What the hell are you doing in there!?" Touma shouted in shock.

"…The things I do to make sure I can meet up with you." Othinus said, getting some of the egg off of her outfit and out of her hair.

"It would appear you have a very loyal attendant, Touma." Saber commented.

"Call me that again and you'll regret it; King Arthur or not." Othinus commented as she floated up to rest on Touma's shoulder in a sitting position. Saber seemed confused, unsure what exactly she said was offensive.

"They probably would have let you come along if you had just asked…" Touma commented. He then cut off a little piece of sausage and held it up to her. Othinus blushed red, but took the rather large piece and started to nibble on it with her tiny mouth.

"…I'm not going to take any chances with situations where you're involved." Othinus replied after a time.

"Are… you sure she can hang around like that though? Won't people question it?" Shirou asked.

"Most people who would visit me in here know about it… or at least if they don't I can explain it. Either way; I don't exactly care what other people think." Touma replied, putting some egg and assuage on a piece of toast and taking a bite. "Before I forget; where is Index?"

"I believe she and Caster went out into town. If I recall correctly, she is looking for a gift for you." Saber answered. "She felt bad for being the unintentional reason for you being injured so gravely. I suppose I should apologize as well for being unable to protect you from such an attack…"

"Hey, don't worry about it; no one knew that Caster would be hunted down, and no one knew that someone would use me as a way to attempt to kidnap her. Frankly, I'm more glad the one that ended up here was just me and you are all safe." Touma commented.

"But still! If I was more alert in my defense, it wouldn't have happened." Saber replied.

"Seriously; its fine. Besides; for most of the stuff I get involved with, being shot a few times is still on the low end of the spectrum of injuries I usually get." Touma replied.

"Is that really the case…?" Saber questioned. "…That ability of yours must get you into a lot of trouble… it must be a heavy burden to bare…"

"It is what it is; thanks to it though, I can help people out, so I'll take the bad with the good. For me it's worth it." Touma replied. "With this situation though, I'm more surprised Accelerator got involved… to think he'd be picked as a master too…"

"…Touma." Saber called out. "That boy; the one with white hair and red eyes… you called him Accelerator, yes? Who is he?"

"Accelerator is… an odd one." Touma replied. "It feels weird to say that I know a guy like that, but he seems to be alright in his own way. He's a bit of soft guy under his violent exterior."

"Yes, but who is he? His status? Title? He seems absurdly powerful" Saber questioned again.

"Accelerator is the highest ranked level 5 Esper in Academy City. He is absolutely the most powerful esper within the city. Most refer to him by the title as the, "One Way Road," as in the road that those who travel it never return." Othinus spoke as if she was reading the information casually. "But depending on how deep you ask… he also has the title of, "The One Who Wields the Power of God," and I would strongly recommend avoiding him at all costs if you wish to continue living."

"…The One Who Wields the Power of God…?" Saber repeated it as she looked down, as if deep in thought.

"Seems… like a strong description of the guy." Shirou commented.

"Hold on… level 5? Is that part of some kind of ranking system?" Rin asked.

"Sorry… I forget that you both aren't from around here." Touma said. "Here in Academy City, espers are ranked zero through five; the higher your number, the more powerful you are and the more control you have over your ability. A level 0 esper is someone who either outright doesn't have an ability, or simply has one that they can't control, while one through five have a highly controllable and powerful ability they can use whenever they want."

"Only up to level 5 huh…? That seems strange to me that they'd have such a small ranking system." Shirou commented.

"Only about ten percent of Academy City's population are espers… and even then, the numbers vary wildly. For example; there are only seven level 5's in the city." Touma replied.

"So… once someone reaches level five, there isn't much of a reason to progress, huh?" Rin asked.

"There exists such a thing as a level 6. However; no esper currently holds this rank." Othinus spoke, crossing her legs and leaning back. "Level 6 represents Godhood for espers; as such no esper currently holds this position. There has not been an esper yet revealed capable of taking on the mantle of a god, it would seem."

"…And even someone supposedly able to wield God's power is unable to attain such a high ranking… these people aim very high with their expectations I see." Saber commented.

"That's your basic guide to espers, I guess." Touma scratched his head. "Not much more I can say; I'm a level 0 myself."

Before their conversation could continue, the door opened a crack; Caster seemed to poke part of her body inside.

"E-excuse me… e-em… Kamijou-san… c-could you come out for a moment? There is a bit of a situation out here…!" Caster called out. Two additional voices could be heard coming from just outside behind Caster.

"Move it will you!? I have something very important I'm trying to do right now!" This voice was clearly Index.

"What's so important to do in a hospital…? Or am I right and that idiot got hospitalized again…!?" The second voice no one save for Othinus and Touma recognized. Touma's body seemed to tense up the moment he heard it.

"Oh… oh no…" Touma sighed nervously. "Why at a time like this…!?"

"Who… is that other girl?" Saber asked.

"She… can't know what is happening, no matter what!" Touma shouted. Caster seemed to suddenly fall over with a small yelp of surprise as Index rolled into the room, stopping on her back.

Another girl stepped into the room, appearing noticeably taller than Index, but not much older; in fact, she looked to be around Saber's age prior to the start of her apparent eternal youth. She had short brown hair and brown eyes, and had a noticeably irritated expression.

"Alright… where is he?" The girl asked in an agitated tone, sparks apparently arcing off from her bangs.

"Emiya-kun… isn't that the girl we saw fighting with Touma at the waterfront?" Rin whispered quietly.

"No doubt… the electricity is a dead giveaway…" Shirou whispered back.

"H-hey Misaka… what's new?" Touma asked nervously. Othinus seemed indifferent to the whole situation.

"I was just dropping by to check on my sisters… then I notice a little nun running around… a little nun who only shows up around here when a certain idiot is in intensive care…" Mikoto spoke, and Touma seemed to get visibly more nervous.

"Y-you don't say!?" He shouted. "W-well! This unlucky Kamijou is sure honored that the great Misaka Mikoto has come to visit him! He is just hoping that she won't use her amazing level 5 powers on him!" Touma clapped his hands together and held them in place, as if praying. Mikoto eyed him for a moment, and then sighed; her expression softening as well.

"What happened?" Mikoto asked simply.

"It's… only a case of being in the wrong place as the wrong time… I'm fine now, if that's what you're worried about." Touma responded. "The guys who put me in here won't be an issue anymore."

"…Seems like you've made some new friends too." Mikoto looked around the room. "Either way, if you made it out ok, that's the important thing… but." She walked over to the side of the bed opposite of Shirou, Rin, and Saber, and leaned in close. "I was suspicious before… but now I'm certain. What exactly have you gotten yourself into…?"

"I… can't say." Touma replied.

"Can't say? Or won't say?" Mikoto pressured the topic further.

"It's… a mixture of both, honestly." Touma answered.

"I'm getting really impatient, you know…!" Mikoto seemed to spark again.

"L-listen!" Touma shouted. "I know you're worried… but don't be. I'll be fine… the truth is I don't want to have you involved… because I'm worried you'll get hurt yourself! It's a very delicate situation!" Touma continued. A blush formed across Mikoto's face, but she did her best to shake it off.

"..Are these three involved?" Mikoto said, nudging her head toward the three across from her. Touma nodded. Mikoto was about to speak again, but Shirou interrupted her.

"I know you're worried about him, and trust me, when we found out he was in the hospital, we were just as concerned as you were." He started. "What happened last night won't happen again, I swear. We were caught off guard by it ourselves, and we are deeply sorry. But trust me; we will not let that happen to him again; we will do anything protect him."

"…Anything?" Mikoto questioned. Shirou nodded back.

"You can rest assured that we will do anything and everything within our power to keep him safe." Saber spoke, adding to Shirou's statement. Mikoto shifted her gaze to Saber for a moment, focusing on her. After a short time Mikoto sighed and rubbed one of her eyes in a tired fashion.

"How about that, it seems like you found some reliable people after all." Mikoto leaned back and started to walk out of the room. "Remember; if you need help, I WANT you to call me and let me know, ok? If I found out you wind up back in here because of a situation that I could have prevented; this hospital room will be the least of your worries…"

"I-I'll be fine, Misaka; don't worry so much." Touma replied.

"…And… well… get better soon, ok?" Mikoto turned red and rubbed her arm nervously. Touma smiled at her, nodding. Mikoto seemed to accept this and smiled back herself, waving goodbye and leaving the room.

There was little time to relax however, as Index promptly propelled herself through the air, biting down on Touma's head. Othinus floated away to safety.

"GAH! Index, why!?" Touma shouted as he tried to pry Index off of his head.

"Because… Touma is stupid, that's why! Letting short hair talk to him like that!" She shouted back, biting down on him once more, much to his agony.

"…That Misaka girl has a thing for Kamijou-san too…" Rin commented; quiet enough that the fighting teenagers couldn't hear her.

"And so does Index… who has a bit of a jealousy streak…" Shirou said as well.

"Apparently, even Othinus has a large amount of affection for him as well… and moreover… she claims that many hold admiration for him…" Caster said, holding a box she seemed to have intended to be a gift of some kind.

"Even a god has romantic feelings for him…? And… so many more on top of that?" Saber added to the discussion, speaking out loud as she processed the information. For some reason, that fact didn't sit well with her; she couldn't tell if it was that she simply didn't believe it, or rather she didn't want to believe it. All four turned to look at the floating Magic God as she continued to pluck away at the piece of sausage she was given.

When she noticed she was being watched, Othinus merely shrugged her tiny shoulders, as if to ask, "What do you want me to do about it?"

They all then refocused their gaze on the scene unfolding out in front of them, wondering what life exactly had in store for this unlucky Kamijou Touma.

 **-Academy City Streets, 9:27 PM-**

It wasn't long before the discussion turned. It was revealed that only in a few short days, Touma would be able to be released and rejoin their efforts to figure out who exactly caused this Illegal Grail War to occur.

But it also wasn't long before the master-mind behind these events decided that it was his turn to properly join the hunt for the Holy Grail. He silently followed a trail of mana as he attempted to stalk prey.

His true target this night however was Fiamma of the Right. He knew he was in the city; he watched from afar when he first appeared. And someone as powerful as him would definitely be a threat; he was unsure if he alone was enough. But with the powerful servant he was given, the possibility of victory remained.

Hayden Avalon followed the trail as closely as he could; it led him to an inconspicuous street, much to his confusion. He did not know that it was here that Rider had just used his Reality Marble just the night before; the residual energy left behind by the event radiated from just about everywhere. He watched from the shadows for a time until someone came into his view.

A feminine man with long blond hair; recognized as the Almighty Thor. Hayden knew he was a master as well, but did not know his origin. It seemed that Thor was in the same place for the same reason as Hayden; searching around for something and appearing frustrated when he couldn't find it.

He was no Fiamma of the Right, but he was a master regardless; and needed to be eliminated. He manipulated the air pressure controlling it with his fingers, and focused it downward; he used the pressure to carve a large slab of the concrete out of the pavement. He then turned his hand palm-up and raised it; the earth itself seemed to rise out of the cut segment of the ground and force the concrete slab up, which Hayden caught with his control of the air pressure, keeping it airborne. He held it for a moment, before throwing his hand forward; the air thrusting the concrete slab onto a collision course with Thor.

The blond suddenly turned almost as if on reflex, and punched the concrete slab with his bare hands; the force was enough to completely shatter the projectile and leave Thor's own hand unharmed.

"You can come on out… or I can play my own game and find you; whichever you prefer." Thor called out with a smile. The only reply he received was a barrage of smaller concrete projectiles. "Have it your way." He formed his Arc Fusion Blades from his finger tips and with two waves of his right hand; all of the slabs were eradicated. A sudden and intense gust of wind erupted and Thor slid backwards; he smashed his right hand into the pavement to hold himself down until it subsided.

"It would seem… that you are too strong for indirect assault." Hayden stepped out of the darkness, moving into the open street.

"As if a pathetic way of fighting like that could defeat the Almighty Thor." He looked up and grinned, standing up. "Not bad; using your environment to you advantage." Hayden moved his hands and locked them together; the earth below the pavement erupted and tore the infrastructure apart as it swirled all around Thor's body, eventually enclosing around him. Without oxygen; Thor would die regardless of his power.

However; Thor's Arc Blades erupted from the prison, ripping it open, and almost slicing Hayden in half, forcing him to blast himself backward with air. Thor leapt out of his crumbling jail and into the sky, holding himself in the air a bit above Hayden, landing down and attempting to punch him. He dodged with another blast of air however, causing Thor's fist to embed itself in the remains of the concrete. He pulled his fist out of the ground with relative ease.

"Earth and air manipulation… I didn't expect to find another magician here." Thor commented.

"You are an obstacle in my path to victory." Hayden replied. "Your death will give me progress; do not resist and I shall not let you suffer in this broken world for one more moment."

"…If you wanted a fight to the death, you could have just asked, you know?" Thor replied. He launched himself forward as he attempted to ram his fist into Hayden's stomach. The man in question launched himself into the air with his air control; dodging Thor's attack. He made several hand motions as once again the earth erupted below Thor's feet and wrapped around him, just his legs this time however. With several more and a hand-sign, a bright green magic circle with several smaller ones surrounding it appeared, and massive cyclones erupted form each one; the great circle being the largest. The twisters wrapped around each other as he enveloped the trapped Thor, engulfing him in a raging windstorm.

"The raging forces will tear his body apart… and all before his servant appears as well. Efficient." Hayden commented plainly. He took no joy in ending the life of a fellow magician; there was only one whose life he desired to end.

His thoughts were interrupted with a sudden sharp pain in his right shoulder. He looked to see one of Thor's Arc Blades piercing his shoulder. Several more Arc Blades burst forth, one piercing his left side, the final puncturing his right thigh. The pain being far too much for him to maintain his concentration, his spell ended to reveal Thor still trapped in his prison with his hands extended out; his blades emanating from his outstretched fingers.

"My blades' maximum range is twenty meters… or if you prefer, sixty-five feet. I can go past that if I'm being juiced too; and that is bad news for you." Thor smirked as he retracted his blades. Unable to concentrate due to the pain, Hayden started to fall, but Thor didn't give him a chance. He broke the earth around his legs and launched himself to intercept Hayden, and promptly kicked him in the side that he had just tore open, launching the magician into the ground.

"Damn it…!" Hayden cursed as he tried to stand; hindered by his thigh and side injury. Controlling his right arm was also proving difficult.

"You made the assumption that I would be easy to defeat; that is your first mistake. Because of that, direct spellcasting will be significantly more difficult than before; though your spell was rather powerful… it really is too bad." Thor commented. "Sometimes people comment, saying that I look like a girl… but it would appear that I'm more than thrice the man you are. How pathetic... am I right?"

"Why… you…!" Hayden choked out.

"Sorry; but I've already grown to dislike you. I am very busy looking for someone, so the fact that you interrupted that with a pathetic act like this has more than irked me. So there won't be any second chances in this game." Thor then started to make his way toward Hayden as he tried to force himself to stand. "You tried to assault me from darkness and it failed, so then you attacked me directly, but you had no follow through; you simply assumed I was weak enough that one powerful spell would have been enough to end my life. You can't toy around like that; people's lives are not so easily predictable. You underestimated me, so stand up and receive your punishment."

"…By my command!" Hayden held out his right arm as well as he could, showing a command seal, which then started to glow a bright red. "Come forth and defend me; your master's life is in danger!"

"You're a master too huh? Too bad; this game is over." Thor's Arc Blades appeared once as he attempted to thrust them into Hayden's chest.

A golden chain appeared from behind and wrapped around his arm, stopping his assault. It was large and incredibly long; easily able to wrap around Thor's whole arm. Thor heard a voice from behind him.

"Calling me out here like this? What kind of a despicable mongrel do you think you are?" Behind Thor; the voice of Gilgamesh rang out. He stood with his arms crossed; the golden chain appearing out of one of his gates in the air. His words were directed at Hayden, but this did not last for long. "As for you… the boy who runs around carrying the name of a god; I recall directly saying that I have no desire to see your face in this world. Yet here you are, once again before me."

"To be fair… you're the one who showed up; me and your friend here were already involved with something, you intruder." Thor said.

"…You continue to disrespect me, I see. As unfortunate as it is; it seems I will have to discipline you myself!" Several gates opened up, firing spears and swords at the immobilized Thor. He quickly swung his other arm around, unleashing his Arc Blades to defend himself, cutting the weapons out of the air. They even went so far as to force Gilgamesh to dodge due to their length, and also striking and destroying the gate that the chain extended from, causing it to vanish into gold dust. Thor attempted to charge Gilgamesh, but was dissuaded when more weapons rained from the sky, forcing Thor to back pedal and dodge them all.

"An endless supply of legendary weapons across time and space… that's really interesting, you know!" Thor commented as he continued to dodge.

"Your life is about to end, yet you continue to prattle on like a spoiled brat. Who the hell do you think you are!?" Gilgamesh's attacks increased in volume to compliment his anger.

"I've said it before! I am the Almighty Thor! And how could I not be excited to fight the legendary King of Heroes himself!?" Thor shouted joyously. Despite the intensity of imminent death; Thor was having the time of his life.

"…I see." Gilgamesh replied. "You still consider me an opponent you can, "Fight." As long as it seems viable with your eyes, you think that you can win. Allow me to correct this misconception for you." Gilgamesh raised his hand and even more gates opened up all around; so many that they seemed to fill the sky itself. The air turned red in reaction to the power being unleashed as Gilgamesh's treasures prepared to launch.

And Thor couldn't look more excited even if he tried.

And Gilgamesh hated that. A mortal who thought he could stand amongst gods was a horrible sight indeed.

At his word, weapons of all shapes and sizes rained from the sky, bombarding the entire area. Thor did his best to block and dodge, but there was simply too much for him to handle. Gilgamesh's weapons exploded violently on contact, blanketing the entire street with explosions from his legendary arsenal. With a hand motion, Gilgamesh's weapons stopped firing as he observed the battlefield.

Thor was standing, his arms over his face as he breathed heavy. Wounds all over his body bleeding. But despite this, As Thor lowered his arms, he was revealed to still be smiling.

"I… guess I should take my own advice huh…?" Thor spoke to no one particular. "I wanted to save this for when I fought Othinus… too bad. But if I die… I can't enjoy that fight anyway… right?"

"You speak as if I intend to let you walk away alive." Gilgamesh prepared another volley of his weapons.

"I'd hate to have to just walk away… but no; I intend to win here, Mr. King of Heroes. If I can defeat a demi-god… then that means I stand a chance against Othinus, a true Magic God, right?" Thor grinned. "Yeah… that's right… isn't it... **Mjölnir!?"** Thor's body suddenly erupted in mana; his eyes, hair, and fingertips, began emitting a pale bluish-white light. His body did not heal, but he suddenly he acted as if he had never been injured in the first place.

"So this is your true power then…?" Gilgamesh questioned.

"Sorry; I have a confession to make. The guy you have been beating the shit out of has just been the Lightning God Thor. But now… now you face the true Almighty Thor in all of his glory! Let's go, Mr. King of Heroes!" Thor shouted as he chambered a fist.

"Insolent cur… you think that just a power up is enough to make you stand against me!?" Gilgamesh shouted as he fired his Gate of Babylon to remove the horrendous sight before him.

However, in an instant, Thor was right in front of him. His weapons were still very much in the air, so he knew he could not have missed or misjudged his position. Thor was even in the same stance he was just in a single second ago.

It was as if the world itself moved Thor into the perfect position to not only dodge, but attack.

The attack coming too quickly to stop with his Enkidu Chains, Gilgamesh was forced to block the fist with his arms, holding them in front of his chest. The fist collided, and much to Gilgamesh's surprise, launched him like a cannon ball down the street.

'He… managed to strike me. Me!?' Gilgamesh thought to himself. But he had no time to counter as Thor was suddenly in front of him again, once more punching him in his guard. The intensive strength felt like a titan was striking him, and his sudden attacks made it nearly impossible to predict.

"What's wrong!? Feeling the pressure!?" Thor shouted happily, as if he was finally free from all of his restraints. Gilgamesh's face turned from shock to pure anger as he pulled a weapon out of a gate in preparation for Thor's next attack. When it came, like so many before, Gilgamesh met the fist with his own blade, stopping the attack as their powers raged against each other.

"Thinking of yourself as a proud warrior, now that you have managed to strike me? I will make you pay for this insult in blood!" Gilgamesh shouted as the two clashed. Thor reeled back and threw another fist which Gilgamesh also blocked. The clash between fists and steel continued for a time, until Thor unleashed his Arc Blades once more from his right hand, seeming visibly more intense, and slammed them into Gilgamesh's side. His magic-resistant armor managed to handle the assault very well, but he still had to move to block one blade that would have decapitated him otherwise. Thor aimed his left hand as his right kept Gilgamesh at bay, and extended his Arc Blades once more, aimed at Gilgamesh's head.

An Enkidu Chain came silently from behind Thor and wrapped around his hand and raised it up into the air, causing the Arc Blade attack to miss, much to Thor's surprise. Several more then appeared all around him and held his body in such a position that his Arc Blades would not only be unable to reach him, but would be unable to free himself from his binds.

"Sneak attack from behind…. I couldn't even feel it…!" Thor struggled against the chains, but he still seemed elated from the confrontation. The apparent weakness would be that if Thor couldn't either see or feel the attack and think of it as a threat, the world would not move to allow him to dodge.

"Congratulations." Gilgamesh said. "Not only have you managed to strike me, but have done so multiple times. You even forced me to defend myself properly as a warrior. Take these compliments as a parting gift as I send you to the afterlife personally." Gilgamesh aimed his blade at Thor's neck; the ability he displayed earlier to shift around seemed to be stopped by the chains locking him down.

A loud roar erupted from above. Berserker came down with a corrupted steel beam of sorts, and threw it down like a spear towards Gilgamesh. He jumped backward as it hit the ground, the sudden shockwave kicking up a massive cloud of dust, blocking vision. Thor was confused by this; he hadn't seen or heard from Berserker for quite some time. Berserker landed in the dust cloud next to Thor, and violently smashed into the chains, shattering them one by one, and the moment he could, Berserker heaved Thor over his shoulder and dashed straight into a building, smashing through the wall and using the sudden destruction to cover up his route of escape.

Gilgamesh fired his weapons at the building in an attempt to intercept, but it was already too late. His brow furrowed in frustration.

"So… Berserker wasn't even here in the first place… I found it odd that he refused to call his servant." Gilgamesh's weapons vanished in an instant. Hayden managed to use a form of healing magic on himself during the clash, and was finally on his feet again. He quickly ran down the street until he found the results of the final clash, with Gilgamesh standing in the middle of the street.

"…He escaped?" Hayden questioned.

"If you hadn't held back in the first place and used every ounce of your power, we wouldn't be having this discussion." Gilgamesh angrily replied. "What excuse do you have to fail so badly? You couldn't even injure him and needed me to fight alone, after all."

"…None." Hayden replied. "It is my own fault; no one else's. I should have taken him seriously from the beginning."

"If you are able to realize that, there may be some hope for you." Gilgamesh replied in a stoic tone. "If you call me again, and you are in such a pathetic situation like this, I will kill you myself." With that, Gilgamesh vanished without a trace.

Berserker continued his rapid pace, eventually taking to the roof-tops and jumping from building to building. He continued to carry Thor, who had become weary as his power-up faded.

"...Why did you save me?" Thor questioned. "Is it because you need me alive so you can fight her? Or something else?" Thor only received a low rumble of a sound that seemed to be Berserker's voice. Thor's expression changed as he began to smile. "So… that's how it is. I get it." He reached one hand around and patted his servant on the back gently.

"You're not such a bad guy yourself, Mr. Lancelot."


	12. Ideals

**Hopefully this one rolls by the way I hope it does, as in I hope things make sense for everyone.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"You've… got to be… kidding me!" Touma shouted as he ran.

A few days passed, and Touma was once more out on the streets. He called ahead to his apartment to let Index know that he was coming home, and made his way out of the hospital and tried to run his way to a bus stop so he could be on his way just a little bit faster.

But he ran into a group of people. And he recognized them; he had crashed into them twice before after all.

And they made it quite clear that they remembered him, too.

"Get back here!" One of the thugs shouted as they chased Touma down the street.

"You're not going to get away this time, you piece of shit!" Another yelled.

"Oh come on!" Touma shouted back. "There is persistence and then there's obsession, and I think you guys are taking this a little too far!" The gang behind him increased their speed, not appreciating the comment. Touma cursed his luck and kept running as fast as he could.

He slid to a stop and ran down a random alley, to which the thugs followed. Touma turned over whatever he could along his way to dissuade the pursuit, slowing them down but also angering them further. Touma turned the corner as the group was a fair distance behind him.

They cleared the path and resumed their chase, only be cut off as a man with red eyes and blond hair stepped in front of them. The clothes he wore were mostly black except for a white undershirt. He smirked at the men unfortunate enough to cross him.

"I would recommend turning back while you can." The man shouted. In a flash, golden rifts appeared all across the walls and even above them; weapons of all kinds seemingly starting to show themselves through the portals themselves.

"That boy is mine, after all."

 **-12 Minutes Later-**

"You'd think… that being stuck in a holy war… AND being shot would be enough bad luck… but no! Of course not!" Touma panted. He started to walk and tripped, falling forward, smashing into the ground. "And then THIS happens!" Touma looked down near where he tripped and found an upturned piece of the sidewalk was responsible for his sudden descent, much to his frustration.

His thoughts were interrupted as he heard laughter behind him.

"What a sight, I must say! You're not in a kneeling position, but sitting before me like a good boy gives you some promise as a servant." The man from a few days ago had appeared once more. Red eyes, blond hair, black and white clothes; exactly the same as before.

"…And then he shows up." Touma sighed. "Well, what do you want? I suppose helping me get up is far too much for you, your highness?" The sarcasm in Touma's voice was more than obvious.

"You have arms and legs; use them." The man replied. "Though if you agreed to clean them afterward, I might consider rolling you over onto your back with my feet."

"No thanks; I don't like the idea of owing a rich guy like you." Touma replied, pushing himself to his feet. "So how about that first question, then?"

"If you must know; your struggles against a world that has clearly gone out of its way to hinder or attempt to assassinate you is amusing. If it were not such, you would not be graced by my presence." The man responded.

"Gee, I feel so honored. Forgive my transgressions, milord." Touma replied, his sarcasm on point.

"Watch your tongue, boy. Or shall I remove it from you to remove such a concern from your mind?" The man shot back, clearly no longer entertained by Touma's sarcastic comebacks.

"No; that's fine. I have enough people trying to kill me at the moment, let alone someone who I don't even know." Touma replied. "…Speaking of which, I don't recall your name… just who are you?"

"You assume you are worthy of my name now? You have some nerve you know." The man replied. "You'll learn in time; you'll have to work hard to earn such knowledge."

"Man… you take high class to the next level." Touma sighed. "What are you even doing in Academy City, anyway? Knowledge is power, but you don't seem like the kind of guy who would come here to learn something."

"Regrettably, I am here against my will." The man replied. "I loathe this city; I can practically feel all of the worthless souls whose pointless lives consist of simple existence and little else. The ones who take the knowledge of their pointlessness out on others are the worst."

"I… wouldn't exactly say they're worthless, but I get what you're saying." Touma replied. "For the supposed pinnacle of scientific society, there is an awful lot of class warfare. Not to mention some of the discouraged espers stuck as a level 0 and try to take out their anger on people… and don't get me started on the espers who think they can do whatever they want just because of their ability. It may not look like it at first, but there is a lot of animosity in the air around here."

"Something we can agree on, I see." The blond man crossed his arms. "I could feel the corrupt nature the moment I stepped foot inside this city's walls. I do not mind a civilization that promotes the worthy, but this system in place here forces those who would otherwise have a purpose into pointlessness. I despise it; it's far too wasteful for my tastes. If the system in place now outright denies others below from being of use then kill off the lesser people and be done with it."

"That opinion is more than a little extreme." Touma commented.

"Oh? You disagree with my methods?"

"You can complain about how pointless people's lives are, but they only really become meaningless when they pass on. A dead man can't do work after all, no matter what part of the machine they were supposed to be." Touma replied.

"…Not incorrect." The man replied. "However, the dregs of this world have grown far too fat and weak; they aren't even worthy to have me rule over them anymore now that they are coddled by their excessive numbers. Something has to change."

"…Maybe you're right." Touma replied. "I just think that… well, to put it nicely, removing a bunch of people from that system doesn't solve the problem of the system itself. Just as people grow and evolve, that system needs to grow and evolve with it. If it doesn't… well, take a look around. The end result is all right here in front of you."

"So… your argument is that is it not the people in the system… but that the system cannot keep up with the people? That stagnation has led to complacency which in turn has sullied this world...?" The man thought out loud. "There… may be some truth to that, yes. It seems that even the lowliest of the low can have some hints of wisdom."

"…I didn't know you were capable of giving compliments, you have shocked me, sire."

"I only acknowledge that what you say is plausible; don't let it go to your head you cur." The man glared at Touma for a moment. "You haven't convinced me of anything."

"But I made you think, right?" Touma asked playfully. His only response was the man narrowing his eyes as his gaze focused more animosity upon Touma's form. "Anyway, I have to go. Take it easy, ok?" he then started to run back down the street. The man watched him as he ran.

He smirked.

"Kamijou Touma. A boy with his own thoughts and impressions about life… yet, he is a blank slate waiting for someone to impose something upon him... or at least that what it seems like…" The man turned away from and focused his eyes forward. "Your act of hiding your true nature against a world that seeks your destruction is amusing; entertain me for just a little while longer… I desire to see what that supposed blank slate of yours turns out to be."

He then vanished into golden dust that quickly dissipated.

 **-Touma's Apartment, 35 minutes later-**

"I'm home…" Touma called out as he opened the door.

"Welcome home; dinner is almost ready." A male voice rang out from his kitchen. He looked to see Shirou cooking over his stove. As he looked around, he saw Index and Othinus watching TV, Saber enjoying some tea, and Caster trying to show Rin how to work a laptop. Touma sighed.

"Man… so many guests… it's getting more than a little cramped in here, isn't it?" Touma commented.

"Considering that you seem to always have so many house guests, maybe it's time to upgrade to a larger apartment that doesn't have the living and bed rooms in the same spot?" Rin commented.

"Hey, if you don't like it you can leave, you know." Touma shot back. "Besides; there's no way that I can even afford a bigger place; let alone the hassle of moving."

"I'm just saying that if the size of your home is a problem, it's time to go. It's an apartment; not a homestead; it's not like you're planning on living out your life here, right?" Rin replied.

"That's not the point! The cost of moving, increased rent, possibility of being billed for utilities depending on the contract where I end up; it's all too much for a poor level 0 Kamijou!" Touma stated. "Unless the well-off Ojou-sama known as Tohsaka Rin would like to contribute to the supporting-poor-Kamijou-fund, of course."

"Hey now, just because I'm part of a mage family doesn't mean I can make it rain money you know… your expectations are really screwed up." Rin replied in an annoyed tone.

"She spends a lot of money on jewelry; she uses them as a catalyst for her magic… she may look wealthy but all her money goes away fairly quickly." Shirou commented, leaning into the main room from the kitchen.

"D-don't tell him that!" Rin shouted back, fidgeting in anger and embarrassment.

"Careful… that is Kamijou-san's laptop!" Caster cautioned.

"Being a mage sounds… expensive…" Touma commented sorrowfully, imagining a lifestyle like Rin's.

"Shut up! Don't talk to me anymore!" Rin shouted again. "Rude little…" she continued to talk, but did so under her breath.

"…It's not like I can't understand where you're coming from though; almost all of my money goes toward hospital bills and food." Touma scratched his cheek.

"…The hospital I can understand… but why food?" Rin asked.

"Because Index is a bottomless pit." Touma replied.

"I-I am not, Touma!" Index broke away from the TV to shout at her roommate.

"I recall Accelerator saying that he spent nearly 11200 yen on you just to fill you up; come back with evidence proving me wrong, and then we'll talk." Touma replied.

Index practically flew over by Touma, biting down on his head, causing him to scream and roll around in pain as Index violently attacked him.

"He doesn't really learn, does he?" Rin commented.

"Kamijou's sass has no restrictions; not even risk of bodily harm can dissuade it." Othinus added.

"I think this is just part of their relationship that they go through…" Caster stated.

"R-Relationship!? W-we have no s-such thing!" Index suddenly broke off from her assault to defend herself.

"That's not what she meant, Index." Touma sat up. Index fidgeted around for a time before jumping off of Touma and letting him climb to his feet.

"Oh, before you go off and get hospitalized again, what took you so long to make it back? You called Index a long time before we got here." Shirou came out carrying what looked like some kind of pasta, setting it down on Touma's table.

"I ran into some thugs who don't know when to quit." Touma sighed. "Then I ran into this weird guy who I seem to keep running into every now and then."

"It would seem that this city has a bit of a crime issue…" Saber commented, taking a drink of her tea. "However, I am more curious about this person who seems to be pestering you. If he is becoming harmful, I'd be more than happy to remove him for you."

"Well… it's not really pestering, though he does have a bit of a bad attitude. He's got blond hair, red eyes, and he tends to pop up out of nowhere." Touma crossed his arms as he thought.

"…What is his name?" Saber suddenly sounded serious, but Touma didn't seem to pick up on her change in tone.

"He wouldn't say… he chewed me out for asking for some reason. He's really weird... about the only thing I know about him is that he's from out of town…" Touma scratched his head.

"…Touma. I would strongly advise avoiding this man you speak of; such a man could betray you at a moment's notice on a whim." Saber replied. Touma gave off a confused vibe as he looked back at Saber.

The sound of a teakettle whistling interrupted the sudden silence.

"Hold on… you guys set things down and get ready, I'll get the tea, ok?" Touma said as he left for the kitchen.

"…Saber, you don't think…?" Shirou whispered.

"I don't know for certain; and won't unless I see this man myself… but considering the confusion and strangeness of this entire Illegal Grail War… the possibility of Gilgamesh walking among us is a real one." Saber replied in a similar hushed tone.

"…Gilgamesh?" Index asked in a confused tone. "But I recall the Heroic Spirit Gilgamesh being classified as an Archer… and you have already witnessed the Archer for this war."

"Our information here is lacking; I have a feeling that being careful to avoid each possibility would be wise… especially if one of those possibilities results in Touma becoming his new target.…" Saber responded. The group continued until Touma returned, wonder that if the man Touma was meeting was indeed Gilgamesh, why he would go out of his way to track down the misfortunate Kamijou Touma.

 **\- 4 hours later-**

Assassin stood on the rooftop of the apartment complex. He looked on, examining the surrounding area.

The irony of an assassin being tasked with the protection of lives was not lost on him. He had spent most of his life as a killer for hire in most instances, and his first summoning as a proper heroic spirit had him serving a master who wanted to avoid death of others at all costs.

He cared little for the situation, however. War or not, he was merely a pawn in the game he didn't want to play. He had a wish, but a corrupted grail would twist it, so he did not care for the combat; he would act in a way to end the war quickly, he thought. He did not care if he won or lost; either way he would be sent back from where he came.

Be it here in this world, or the throne of heroes; they were both prisons to him, just with different accommodations. He sat down with one arm on his knee as he continued his watch, contemplating his status and desires, and did so until a voice called out to him from behind.

"Assassin." The voice was that of Saber. He turned to look towards the king to see her in common dress, holding a plate of food. "Shirou wished to give you this, but was tied up below; they are planning their next move."

"I know; I figured as much, I'm sure I'll be filled in later." Assassin responded, seemingly focused on his task at hand. Saber walked next to him and placed the plate down next to him silently. "He does know I don't need such a thing, right?"

"I informed him, but he wished to gift it to you anyway. It would seem that he is saddened that as his guard you must keep watch far away from him, and wanted to make amends in such a way." Saber replied. Assassin eyed her for a time, before reaching down to the plate of food and pulling a piece of bread from the ensemble. He opened up the cloth around his face, just enough to make his mouth visible, and took a bite.

"He is far too kind-hearted for a war like this." Assassin commented.

"I would say they all are, personally." Saber commented. "It is a shame that they are put through all of this…"

"I am inclined to agree." Assassin commented. Silence overtook the two once more. After a time Saber spoke up.

"Is there anything out of place?" She asked, looking in the same direction as Assassin.

"I can feel spikes of magical activity a fair distance away. I'd say about… three-fourths of a mile out if one were to directly travel there from here. It's possible they could move this way… but it's unlikely."

"So other masters are clashing… I see." Saber commented. "It must be difficult, being limited in your options as an Assassin."

"It would be significantly easier if he would let me act, but due to this war's condition, he feels that me assaulting and killing masters who were forced into the war against their will is wrong. I agree to an extent, but this isn't a world where one can escape laws of sacrifice just because they're inconvenient. To get something one must give up something else; regardless of what is cruel or not. At this rate someone will manage to claim the grail and use its corrupted powers to destroy the world, all because he can't commit to the idea of removing his opposition." Assassin continued to pick food from the plate he was given, almost in the sense of the, "Now that I've started, it's hard to stop," mentality.

"I understand your concerns; and I share them as well." Saber replied. "But… I believe there is a way for this to work out, regardless of the circumstances."

"You can believe what you want." Assassin replied, finishing his plate and covering his mouth once more. "If the death of a few people can save a world of billions, I will do so. To risk humanity's right to exist over petty attachments would be akin to betrayal to those people you live for." Assassin pushed himself to his feet and stood tall once more.

"…And you would be willing to sacrifice anything and everything for that?" Saber asked. "Even yourself or the people below you associate with?"

"If this entire city, regardless of who would be inside of it, is what it would take? Then so be it." Assassin spoke harshly, his intensions clear. The air around them seemed to calm as the two grew silent.

Suddenly Assassin felt a spike of mana; very close to him, in fact.

He ducked down to dodge a sudden attack by Saber, who had drawn her blade disguised in invisible air. Saber continued to assault him, Assassin just barely dodging each of her swift and precise swings. Eventually he was forced to flee the roof-top, jumping down and landing on the ground with a roll. Saber gave chase, landing in the street, cutting off Assassin's escape route through an alley.

Assassin narrowed his eyes as he stared Saber down, the anger flowing freely from his eyes. He thought to himself about the sudden attack; a double cross? Was this a pre-planned betrayal? Or the act of another master somehow controlling her? Upon realizing the sudden gravity of his situation, he suddenly turned to look back at Touma's apartment, wondering if his master was in danger.

"Make no mistake." Saber suddenly spoke, holding her blade firmly. "This is my decision. No one else's; the only thing you have to worry about is right in front of you."

"Why wait so long to make your move? Were you plotting to kill me from the start? To remove me so your master's lover would be safe?" Assassin questioned as he slowly reached into the pockets of his pants.

"…In the fourth grail war, I served a master very much like you," Saber began. "He held your ideals highly and would sacrifice and kill for his own desire to save the world… regardless of who got in his way. He would do the most sickening things imaginable; all for the sake of those ideals. No one was safe."

Assassin continued to move, slowly reaching in and grabbing ahold of a set of combat knives in his pockets.

"But… he still had people he cared for, people he mourned for. People were taken from him by his own actions, even if he tried to distance himself from those emotions. He would strive to protect those people; even if their fate was sealed. I hated him for what he did… but I think I understand him and his reasons a little better. That is why here now." She smirked a little bit. "You don't have those anchors of emotion within you; I can tell… but it presents me with an opportunity that I didn't have with him regardless."

"So… what happens now then, Saber?" Assassin asked in a wary tone.

"I'm here to teach you something..." Saber replied. "I'm here to show you… that there are some things that you can't just throw away, and that the lives of the people around you are one of them! I don't care what you're ideals are; I'm not going to stand here and let the thought of you sacrificing any of those people I care about exist!" Saber charged at Assassin once more.

Assassin narrowed his eyes as he drew his knives, and the battle between the two servants began.


	13. War of Servants

**Alright, so I have some actual interesting information this time.**

 **During my research into our little Assassin, It was revealed to me that he has access to all the weapons he had in life, in addition to his Noble Phantasms.**

 **But it didn't say how exactly, so I came up with one of my own! Thus became a Noble Phantasm, " _Weapons of War_ ," Which you will see below.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

Saber's strikes were quick and precise; nearly every blow would have been impossible to dodge for a normal man. Assassin used his agility to move with each swing to avoid damage. He blocked with his knives only once, and while it was successful, he could see the Invisible Air start to chew through his combat knives like a molecular chainsaw.

It became clear that just one strike from her blade would be fatal. But he was trapped on the defensive; unable to counter attack due to Saber's fierce strikes.

"It's not like an Assassin to be pushed into a situation such as this." Saber commented. She struck once more, and Assassin was forced to block. An extra push of force broke through Assassin's knives, the force of which blasted Assassin into the air. He reached into his cloak pockets and pulled out a variety of grenades and threw them at Saber; the explosions stopping her from a follow up assault. Assassin landed a fair distance away as more explosives formed in his hands; the smoke cleared to reveal Saber mostly unharmed.

Assassin was able to forge weapons out of his own mana, and break them down to absorb most of the mana he used. However, if the objects he created were to be destroyed, they would fade away completely, and any rounds of ammunition he would fire would be lost as well. In either case, his explosives were small constructs, but using them in large numbers could exhaust him, which made the fact that Saber was able to deal with them so easily frustrating.

"Expanding your invisible air to block the attack…" Assassin commented.

"Those objects you forge out of mana… is that your Noble Phantasm?" Saber questioned.

"…It is one I hold; they are my **Weapons of War**. As I used them in life, so shall I use them again in death. Tools I procured to win hidden wars and conflicts, ranging to stealth espionage to direct combat." Assassin threw the grenades in his hands; however they both ended up being flash-bangs, unleashing a bright light that blinded Saber. Using the distraction, Assassin drew a submachine gun, specifically a Calico M950, from his cloak. He quickly took aim and opened fire, but Invisible Air expended on its own to protect Saber; blocking the barrage of bullets.

"Your Weapons of War's contents are surprisingly modern for a spirit… what era are you from?" Saber asked as she held up her guard, Invisible Air protecting her. Assassin merely held the trigger down as he drew a large handgun; the one weapon that was actually contained on his body in a holster on his waist. What made Saber wary of the handgun was not the fact Assassin held it, however.

It was its model; a Thompson Contender. She only knew one person who used such a gun. The mana she felt from it was violent and powerful; clearly it was another Noble Phantasm.

Assassin took aim with the Thompson Contender, and the moment his Calico M950's bullets stopped, he fired. On reflex Saber dashed to the side with a sudden mana burst, dodging the large round. She quickly closed in as Assassin reloaded his single shot handgun, and swung her blade down on top of him. He was forced to block with his submachine gun, which was destroyed on contact, but gave Assassin the opportunity to dodge that he needed as he leapt backward.

Assassin took aim, but when he looked up, he saw Shirou standing in-between the two with his arms extended out. He looked towards the railing a few floors up, and saw Touma's apartment room wide open, and with Rin, Touma, Index, and Caster looking on at the battlefield in varying degrees of confusion.

"Saber, Assassin; just what the hell is going on!?" Shirou shouted.

"This is a personal conflict Shirou, please move!" Saber replied.

"I'm not letting another person move until I get some answers!" Shirou shouted back, blades suddenly forming in his hands to emphasis his point. Assassin's gun drooped slightly, but he quickly refocused his aim.

"Emiya Shirou; move at once." Assassin demanded. "She attacked me out of the blue. If she lives, she could do so again; that would leave you without a servant; making your goal that much harder. Step aside." Assassin slowly walked around, trying to get a clean shot at Saber, but Shirou constantly moved to make sure the two were separated and unable to engage each other.

"Not a chance; clearly there is something wrong here, so I'm ending this feud right now." Shirou replied. "I don't know what this is about, but it's over. If you two want to fight it out so bad, you're going to have to get through me; understand?" Shirou sternly made his threat known; Saber gripped her invisible blade tightly, and then eventually dispelled it, understanding Shirou's intensions.

Assassin however, did not lower his gun.

"This is not a time to let sentimental emotions get the better of you; she actively tried to kill me. I will not ask you again." Assassin warned, cocking his Thompson Contender.

"I'm not moving, Assassin."

"Why…!? You're putting everything you're trying to accomplish in danger, and for what!? For her; your lover? What the hell are you thinking!? You'll put the fate of this world and the people inside of it at risk just because of your past together!?" Assassin argued, his voice becoming violent.

"That doesn't matter right now; I'm not going to let two people I care about try to kill each other over some petty crap like this! And if you have a problem with that, then pull that damn trigger, Assassin!" Shirou shouted angrily. Silence over-took the area once more.

Assassin tensed his arm, gripping the gun tightly. He didn't know why… but for some reason his finger refused to move. He went to fire partway through Shirou's speech, but for some reason no matter how hard he tried, his hand would not pull the trigger.

An odd memory suddenly rang in his mind. Sitting out in someone's yard, looking at the stars. It seemed pleasant. A boy came out to speak with him, it seemed like. A boy with the same hair as Shirou. Despite a feeling of imminent demise, everything felt… peaceful.

Assassin was confused; this was not a memory he held. He could remember the time and the date that this event occurred; he was nowhere near this place his memory recalled. It burned in is mind; why was this memory here? Conflicting with what really happened to him? Was this an effect of this Illegal War; messing with his mind?

Assassin looked down, taking a deep breath before dropping his arm.

"You are a soft fool… you risk everything for your own sentimentality." Assassin commented.

"…I want to be a hero of justice." Shirou started. "But I don't want to settle for just being the guy who beat the nasty villain at the end; I want to save and protect everyone that I can. Even if that is a foolish desire; it is what I truly want. And when I save everyone… I mean everyone; that includes you, Assassin!"

Silence once more covered the street. Shirou and Assassin stared at each other for a long time; ages it felt like. The silence was broken when Saber suddenly spoke up.

"Shirou… I'm sorry…" She said in a sad tone. "The events of this evening were my responsibility; he did not lie. I did attack him in a fit of anger… I'm so sorry…"

"It's… fine, Saber. Don't worry about it." Shirou tried to reassure her. "We know that we think on different wavelengths and have different thoughts and ideals… what matters now is working passed those differences so we can move on. We can't do this unless we work together…"

"…Every waking moment, I wonder if that Tsuchimikado boy would be a more fitting master for someone like me." Assassin commented openly, withdrawing his Thompson Contender and stowing it away. It became clear that usage of the Thompson Contender, either the act of firing alone or the creation of the bullet it used, came at a hefty price of energy; his mana spent on the bullet he prepared to fire in combination with the constant usage of his Weapons of War left him quite weary.

"Assassin…" Shirou looked back at his servant once more.

"…As long as she does not attack me again, you have nothing to fear." Assassin simply stated. Shirou smiled back at him genuinely, and those up on the railing let out a sigh of relief.

"Man… that was close… I'm surprised their fighting didn't wake up the neighbors… I know Tsuchimikado isn't home, but still…" Touma rubbed his neck.

"I took care of that already." Rin commented.

"…Exactly… how did you take care of that?" Touma asked nervously.

"I set up a bounded field, designed to repel people without mana; it gives them serious bad vibes so strong they will do whatever it takes to avoid this place. It also cancels out sound as it tries to leave the barrier; think of the area up to the other side of the street from here as a giant sound-proof room." Rin explained.

"So… that's why the repair man never showed up to fix my water heater…" Touma sighed. "Such misfortune…"

Rin had little time to defend herself for her actions before a bright yellow beam of light shot overhead; coloring the night sky as it traveled. Just as quickly as it appeared however, it was gone. As the group continued to look up, the saw a single figure falling from the sky, landing back first on a left over parked car, smashing it to pieces with a loud crash. The figure groaned loudly as he pushed himself up out of the wreckage.

"T-Thor!? What are you doing here!?" Touma shouted.

"Hey… Kamijou-chan!" Thor greeted. He slowly pulled himself out of the steel coffin, rubbing his sides. "I hope this wasn't yours… sorry if it was! I didn't mean to land here, you know!"

"Wait, back up a bit. Who the hell were you fighting to send you all the way out here!?" Touma shouted.

"That would be me." A voice rang out from across the street; revealing it to be Fiamma of the Right himself, suddenly appearing before them. It could be said that Thor and Fiamma had been fighting, and their battle over time had moved to Touma's front door.

"Great… not him again…!" Rin gripped the railing tightly.

"Damn it all!" Touma ran for the staircase and bolted for ground level. Several yellow blasts fired from Fiamma's single hand and blasted the railing apart, causing the staircase to collapse with Touma still on it.

"K-Kamijou-san!" Shirou shouted as he turned to check the debris. Surprisingly, Touma seemed to leap out of it, mostly unharmed aside from a few bruises from the sudden fall.

"Consider that your one warning, Kamijou Touma. I am not here for you; I nearly had my primary target, then this miscreant decides to ambush me… a punishment must be dealt. This is more than just a little bit personal." Fiamma spoke sternly.

"Shit… I lost track of them while we were fighting, and now they both show up at our front door…!" Assassin cursed, forming combat knives with his mana.

"It would seem that our enemies have come to us." Saber once more drew her invisible blade, aiming it toward Fiamma.

"Servants… of Kamijou's current companions… It is unfortunate that we cross paths once more." Fiamma spoke.

"Looks like I'm the one bringing you misfortune this time, Kamijou-chan!" Thor spoke as he stood on solid ground once more.

"Don't remind me." Touma sighed. A loud screech of a shout could be heard as an object suddenly shot out of the darkness; seemingly corrupted and twisted. Fiamma moved to easily dodge the attack and it toward Saber; she was forced back but was able to deflect the sudden projectile. Several more flew out, all seemingly aimed at Fiamma, who either dodged or completely eradicated them as they flew. Then finally, Berserker himself shot out, lifting an entire car over his head, intending on smashing it down on Fiamma of the Right.

The Holy Right responded in kind; forming from Fiamma's shoulder and catching the car, destroying it with magic in the process. With a wave of his left hand, a holy explosion triggered and launched Berserker away.

"Unreal… he was fending off both Thor and Berserker at once…!?" Rin shouted.

"This is bad…" Touma spoke, walking forward. "Thor is battle hungry, Fiamma is pissed, and Berserker will go crazy the moment he notices Saber…"

"Yeah… we need a plan…" Shirou added. Berserker screamed loud, as tendrils seemed to erupt from his body and dug into the pavement, corrupting and ripping a large section out of the ground. With another loud screech, Berserker hurled the corrupted slab at Fiamma, who looked unimpressed. However, Touma suddenly shot forward in a full speed run, extending his arm out. On contact, a shattering sound rang loud, and the concrete slab shattered in an instant. Touma looked relieved for a moment afterward.

"Crap… I just needed… to know that!" Touma spoke as he calmed down. "Right… his ability messes with them to the core… enchants it… so my Imagine Breaker can destroy whatever he uses as a weapon…!" He shouted triumphantly, but he mentally cursed himself by saying in his head that if it had failed, he would have lost his arm and been in a whole lot of pain.

"T-Touma! Get back!" Saber called out. "You can't fight Berserker, even with Imagine Breaker!"

"She is right, you know." Fiamma added. "I don't need your help."

"It doesn't matter… if one of us doesn't do something to try and calm this situation down; things are going to get a lot worse." Touma replied. "Besides… I don't like the idea of you fighting right outside of my house!"

"We're fighting… in front of your house?" Fiamma looked at the apartment complex for a moment. "…huh, so we are."

Before their discussion could go farther, Berserker suddenly roared and burst forward, intent on ripping Touma in half with his bare hands.

"Kamijou-san!" Shirou shouted, forming his blades once more and running out. Saber burst forward too, but both of them were too late.

Not because their charges were off timing to stop Berserkers assault, however.

They were too late because someone else had already intervened.

Golden lights filled the sky, as a massive barrage of projectiles rained down on Berserker, forcing him back to evade them. The lights originated from above Touma's apartment. Shirou and Saber both looked towards their origin point.

On top of the apartment complex, a single man stood. Red eyes, spiked blond hair, and bright golden armor. He had a noticeable smirk on his face and several golden rifts around him weapons ready to fire.

"Gilg…amesh…!?" Shirou forced out in a surprise. Touma looked at the person himself. Aside from his hairstyle and armor, it was a perfect match for the person he would keep running into randomly since this Illegal Grail War began. After a moment, the man started to speak.

"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't try and kill one of the very few things I find interesting in this deplorable excuse for a world, you mindless cur!" Gilgamesh shouted loud and proud.

"Gilgamesh… huh?" Touma spoke to himself. After a moment he shouted up to address the man in golden armor. "I'm not going to ask what your plan is, but what exactly are you doing here?" Gilgamesh's initial response was to laugh lightly.

"Foolish little boy, you should feel joy! As your lowly and worthless existence has somehow caught my eye; my curiosity, as it were. You should revel before me in gratitude for deciding that your pathetic existence was worth saving!" Gilgamesh responded.

"…If that is your way to convince me to team up with you or something, I'm not interested." Touma responded. Gilgamesh laughed once more.

"Surely you jest? I have no interest in such a thing; if I did your option to refuse would be non-existent! Do not take the mercy I have given you for granted, you mongrel!" Gilgamesh smirked as more rifts opened behind him. "I would advise a hasty retreat; unless you wish to be blown away along with that black abomination."

Sparks of blue magical energy could be seen all around Shirou in a sudden flash. The sparks grew in size and formed into full-fledged weapons; matching the ones currently extending from Gilgamesh's rifts. Shirou ran towards the base of the apartment complex as his weapons fired to intercept Gilgamesh's own, as he leapt into the air with the aid of reinforcement of his legs, aiming for a jump slash down on top of Gilgamesh himself, who quickly dodged to the side, a noticeable look of frustration on his face.

"Things just keep getting better and better, don't they?" Fiamma let out a disgruntled huff. In an instant a flaming sword once more appeared in his left hand and he deflected an assault from Thor, holding his Arc Blades at bay with the blade. "You just don't give up… do you?"

"What can I say; an opportunity is an opportunity! And my war with you isn't over until I'm buried in the dirt!" Thor smiled as he charged forward gleefully; eager to engage Fiamma of the right once more.

"Those two are at it again…!?" Rin commented, gritting her teeth in frustration. "And moreover… Kamijou-san got himself locked into a fight with Berserker to try and calm Fiamma down… and that jackass Thor decides to rile him up again…!" Rin gripped the railing tightly, before suddenly climbing onto it. "Now I'm really mad!" She leapt off of it, her legs reinforced as well, launching herself into the air. She flung one of her arms downward, not even taking aim as well over thirty Gandr bullets fired off at once in a random cone.

"…Just firing randomly… but with a small alteration…!" Index focused her eyes, and suddenly started speaking in an unknown tongue. The bullets altered their trajectory mid-flight and changed direction as Index analyzed Rin's spell; sending all the bullets at the target she intended.

The Almighty Thor.

He continued to lash out at Fiamma, and eventually took to the air for a jumping strike, but was caught off guard when Rin's barrage suddenly hammered him across the side of his body. Thor was stunned but not heavily injured in any regard, and turned around to attempt to counter his assailant, but was stopped cold when Rin appeared in his sight behind him and promptly kicked him across the face with her reinforcement running at full power, launching the lightning god into the ground at an angle with a heavy crash.

"Rin! Use whatever spells you can; I'll support you from here! Don't worry aiming; I'll take care of it with Spell Intercept!" Index shouted. Rin was more than a little surprised herself; forming her Gandr in the form of a projectile is very complex magic, and being able to alter its trajectory without hindering its destructive force was an amazing feat for someone currently barred from using magic.

"…Alright, I'll leave it to you!" Rin shouted as she completed her thought.

"Seriously… you all have some kind of problem? I don't need your help." Fiamma commented.

"I'm not here to help you; don't make that mistake." Rin aimed her arm towards Fiamma of the Right.

"Really now…?" Fiamma clicked his teeth, understanding Rin's threat.

"That was just a warning shot for what's in store for you if you don't get out of here right this minute! Throwing out spells like that everywhere; you could destroy this entire city! Let alone the people all because you're mad that idiot keeps attacking you!" Rin shouted. "I'm warning you; take yourself and your Holy Right away from this place before someone seriously gets hurt!"

"You're making it sound like I even want to participate in this stupid conflict!" Fiamma shouted, his Holy Right forming once more as his face contorted in anger. "You really are a fool, aren't you? If you really wanted to pick a fight with me; you should have used that attack on me instead of Thor."

"I'm warning you!" Rin shouted, a Gandr bullet forming at the end of her hand.

"Well… if I'm reading this right; you attacked me for pissing off Fiamma and risking the lives of everyone in your little party, am I right?" Thor suddenly spoke up, slowly climbing to his feet. "And you want Fiamma to leave before that happens… and sadly; I can't let someone this tough slide out of my fingers… I dare say we're at an impasse."

"You stay down too or else!" Rin changed her target to Thor.

"I understand you; beat some sense into us so we'll listen… but that won't work on little ol' me. Combat is the main reason I'm here, after all!" Thor popped his knuckles.

"…Of all the times that I needed Lancer, it would have to be while he's tracking down my target…" Fiamma rubbed his neck in frustration. "I don't have time to play with you both; especially with that golden monster up over there. So how about you two fight it out and I'll punish the winner for wasting my time…!? There is a lot at stake right now, you idiots!"

"Of course there is! Do you think we'd forget? You have to know what will happen if someone gets ahold of the Holy Grail!?" Rin shouted.

"Of course I know, but that's not what I'm referring to! There is a Magic God roaming Academy City, apparently looking for the damn thing, and I'm stuck here babysitting all because of idiots like you constantly attacking me!" Fiamma angrily shouted.

"A… Magic God…?" Rin questioned in surprise; she knew little about Magic Gods but she was able to tell from the descriptions Othinus gave her that they are powerful. She was confused at first, but opened her eyes wide in shock. "A Magic God here… looking for the Holy Grail? If such a being were to interfere with the Grail War…!"

"And now you fully understand the gravity of the situation!" Fiamma shouted, clearly fed-up with the current set of circumstances.

"So I get to clock a magician, Fiamma of the Right, and a full-blown God of Magic? What's there to dislike about this situation…" Thor outstretched his arms from his sides, extending his Arc Blades. Fiamma looked ready to engage again, but Run held out her free hand as if to try and stop him.

"Go. Get done what you need to do; leave that hot head to us!" Rin spoke sternly. Fiamma was surprised at first, but smirked in response.

"A bit of an attitude you have there; the other night you were deathly afraid of me." Fiamma commented. Rin's face turned red as he glared back with an angry expression.

"Get out of here before I decide to take you down with him!" Rin shouted. Fiamma let out an amused chuckle before suddenly vanishing without a trace. Though he was gone, Rin could still very much feel the trail of mana he left behind as he moved, and could surmise that Thor felt it too.

"You're not getting away from me!" Thor shouted as he rushed forward, gunning to take a path up a building to his right. However, Rin took out and threw a gem to intercept. A blinding flash of light erupted as the gem shattered, blinding Thor and leaving him open. Rin rushed forward amidst the distraction and slammed a palm-strike into Thor's stomach; her reinforcement once more amplifying her strength considerably. She continued to deliver blows into Thor's abdomen until Thor finally reacted and grabbed her fists, the two struggling to over-power the other.

"Son of a…!" Thor grunted. "For a range-based mage you hit like a dump truck…! Your reinforcement is even better than the red-head!"

"I've just been doing it for far longer than he has… and besides." She suddenly looked up and grinned. "The age where a magus can defend herself with only her magic is over! The next step would obviously be to go for reinforcing and training the body!"

"Battle mage, huh…!? Interesting!" Thor grinned himself as the two continued their struggle for dominance.

On the apartment complex rooftop, during these events, Shirou continued to engage Gilgamesh, intercepting his Gate of Babylon with his trace and projection magic. Eventually the fight was forced into close range and Gilgamesh was forced to take up a blade properly to defend himself, the two clashing swords.

"You really are a persistent thorn in my side…!" Gilgamesh spat, trying to force Shirou off of him.

"I don't know what the hell you have in mind for Kamijou-san, but I'm going to stop you right here!" Shirou shouted back, pressuring to match Gilgamesh's efforts.

"Oh… your goal is to truly stop me?" Gilgamesh grinned. "So you really do want Kamijou Touma to die against Berserker, then!?" He looked at the fight occurring in the street. Shirou looked as well.

Berserker had just lashed out at Assassin who took up arms against him, but because he was not only weaker than Berserker physically, and the fact that his frequent use of his abilities during his clash with Saber drained his mana, he was easily over-powered and launched through one of the apartment doors on the lower level of the complex. Berserker turned his eye once more to Touma as Saber seemed to have mysteriously vanished, and lunged at him with a street sign he had plucked out of the ground, corrupting and strengthening it it with his Noble Phantasm. He charged at Touma who quickly dodged each savage strike quickly. Touma rolled to the side and Berserker screeched out in anger, hurling the sign at the unlucky Kamijou. He however held up his right hand and on contact, due to the sign's enchantment, was negated and blasted apart.

However, this seemed to be a front as Berserker followed quickly and slammed his full arm wildly into Touma's stomach, launching the unfortunate boy backward, rolling until his back slammed into the side of a building. Touma cried out in pain but was able to move to dodge Berserker's next assault, which shattered the building's wall on contact.

"Kamijou-san!" Shirou shouted. Gilgamesh suddenly kicked him in the stomach to force him back, and then turned his attention to the rampaging Berserker, firing a volley of his treasures upon him to stop his assault on Touma; to preserve one of very few things that held his interest.

"As you can see… your dear friend is in trouble but you are so blinded by rage you cannot protect him, otherwise I wouldn't have to step in to make up for your failings, you stupid brat!" Gilgamesh shouted as a massive volley of his treasures appeared in the night sky, all aimed at Shirou. "Die already, like the dog you are!" He motioned his weapons to fire, but they did not move. Confused, he looked at his treasures to see long, thin wires seemingly attached to them' wrapped around their bases to avoid being cut by their blades. They struggled against their bindings but could not escape them; the wires appeared to be enchanted.

"Saber!" Caster called out a fair distance behind Gilgamesh, revealing that the wires were coming from her hands, generated from various magic seals and enchanted with magic to increase the strength dramatically. Saber was right next to her, and used **Strike Air** aimed behind her to launch herself like a rocket; appearing right next to Gilgamesh as he dealt with his bound weapons, and struck his left flank. The force was strong enough to launch Gilgamesh across the rooftop. His weapons and rifts vanished and Caster's wires receded back into the magic circles that they came from.

"Shirou!" Saber called out. "Ordinarily… I would deal with Berserker myself, but Gilgamesh is too big of a threat to ignore! Leave him to us and save Touma!" Shirou's surprised look faded after a moment and he nodded; turning towards the edge of the roof-top and jumping off to rescue Touma from his brawl with Berserker.

Shirou looked down at the battle he was approaching. His gaze looked over at Assassin as he exited the room he was knocked into; he could tell of his exhaustion from not only fighting Saber, but engaging Berserker. He held out his right hand as he dropped to the ground and his command seal lit up.

"Assassin!" Shirou shouted as his command seal lit up. "Take all of this command seal's power, and use every ounce of it… to help me defeat Berserker!" Shirou's seal vanished, leaving only one behind. Assassin suddenly felt the order; his body absorbed the command seal's mana entirely as he stepped out into the open fully; two combat knives forming in his hands once more.

"Understood." Assassin spoke as he made a dash for Berserker, being joined by Shirou shortly after.

On the rooftop, a different scene played out as the parties below waged war on one-another.

"Another object which I desire has appeared before me I see…" Gilgamesh spoke as he got to his feet after the surprise attack. "And accompanied by an incarnation of the Holy Grail manifested as a Caster, no less…"

"Archer." Saber addressed Gilgamesh by his classification. "What are you doing here? There is already an Archer for this war; how did you manage to appear here!?" She demanded further. Gilgamesh smirked.

"I couldn't tell you, honestly." Gilgamesh admitted. "I merely appeared before a Master at the Grail War's instigation and was bound to him. Nothing more; nothing less. Any information as to why I specifically was selected is unknown, even to me."

"So… you must be the servant tied to the person who started this Illegal Grail War; take us to him at once!" Caster demanded. Gilgamesh chuckled lightly.

"As if I would want to be in that pathetic wretch's presence." He replied. "I don't know where he is and I do not care; at least he is wise enough to leave me to my own devices."

"Then… what is your goal here?" Saber pressured the topic further. "Do you still wish to claim the Grail…?"

"Of course I do; this world requires a purge of the weak and purposeless so humanity can set itself on its track; I merely wish to guide it with my own hand." Gilgamesh responded. "But… I don't think your demand for my goal was entirely just about the Grail… am I right?"

"…You've been stalking Kamijou-san, have you not?" Saber asked, inching closer. "We have no intention of handing him over to you, understand?"

"He is just an innocent boy, trying to live his life in peace. What does a man like you want with him?" Caster asked in a serious tone.

"If you think I desire his heart like your daughter's, you are wrong. Do not worry; unlike her capability to become the Lesser Grail, Kamijou Touma's merits lie elsewhere." Gilgamesh stated, being perceptive enough about the world's events to know Caster's true identity, and to know that the girl he killed, Illyasviel von Einzbern, was Caster's daughter. She was suddenly struck with grief, but this quickly turned to anger. She was about to rush forward herself but was stopped by Saber.

"…You have one more chance." Saber suddenly announced, dispelling Invisible Air to reveal her Excalibur; making her next intentions known.

"…So you haven't noticed after all?" Gilgamesh mocked them both. "I saw it; that boy's act of toppling that mighty blade of yours with just sleight of hand! But that's not all; if that were it I would have abandoned him ages ago… no… have you not truly noticed?"

"Speak! Or else I shall end you right here and now, Gilgamesh!" Saber shouted in anger, which only seemed to please him more, much to her displeasure.

"The Kamijou Touma you know… is a lie; a fabrication. A front he has put on; his true nature unknown to the world… and perhaps even to himself. I merely wish to discover the reason for it… and then discover his true nature." Gilgamesh replied.

"Lies! We have spoken to him and stayed in his home! He assists me with my wish and the others with theirs; I will not stand here and let you insult his generosity with such accusations!" Caster shouted.

"Of course; he is kind, well mannered, and respectful; though he has a sharp tongue as well." Gilgamesh started. "But I can feel it… the fear in his voice; his actions. Something he desperately wants to keep locked away; so he will act as the good person who will save everyone… to hide his own insecurities from the world. I know not why he would desire such a thing… what he hides must be terrible indeed."

"Silence! I will not hear you sully his good name with your accusations! Understand!? He is a good man with kindness in his heart; I will not let you tarnish that image!" Saber suddenly erupted in a surge of mana; preparing to use Excalibur. Gilgamesh didn't seem perturbed by the threat.

"I suppose if you wish to hide from the evidence, I cannot help you." Gilgamesh commented. "Do not worry… once I am finished with him; I will come back for you, Saber… Until then! Take good care of that interesting little boy!" Gilgamesh opened his rifts and fired several weapons at the rooftop's base, destroying Saber and Caster's footing as they both fell to the floor below. They both were able to climb back up with ease, by the time they reached it however, Gilgamesh was gone. The threat passing, they both turned to look upon the battles still going on below.

Rin and Thor continued to exchange blows. One would strike, and the other would return the favor. Each time Thor would go for a decisive blow or his Arc Blades however, Rin would fire of Gandr bullet, and Index would alter its trajectory to hit Thor in an area to either deflect the attack or open him up for a violent counter. Rin slipped into Thor's guard and fired a much larger Gandr bullet at point blank, the shockwave of which forced the lightning god back.

"I… have to admit. You're no slouch…!" Thor commented. "You're good… damn good. Even with Index helping you out I'm still getting pumped from this!"

"I'm not some kind of delicate flower you know…" Rin replied with a grin, popping her knuckles. "Did you expect an easy fight from me just because I'm a woman?"

"I'll admit, I underestimated you." Thor stated. "Let's keep going! I'm really in the mood now!"

"No… Don't you think this is where we should stop?" Rin replied. Thor cocked his head to the side in apparent confusion.

"Why? It's just getting interesting!" Thor shouted. Rin smirked.

"Because your servant is in a bad a position right now…" Rin nodded her head over towards Berserker, as he fought off Assassin and Shirou, and occasionally a weapon Berserk would wield would wind up completely destroyed by Touma's Imagine Breaker. On top of that Saber and Caster leapt from the roof top, seemingly to aid in the fight against the mad black knight. Thor's face turned from joy to concern rather quickly.

"You got to be kidding me… Mr. Lancelot!" Thor shouted.

"…Lancelot?" Rin questioned. Thor suddenly punched the ground and flew into the air due to the exerted force; leaving unleashing a shockwave that shook the ground.

"Get away from him!" Thor shouted, unleashing his Arc Blade's full length towards Berserker. The Fusion Arc Blades struck all around him forcing his attackers to back off. At this moment Berserker had an opportunity to look around, noticing Saber running towards him, roaring loudly in response.

"Crap… he finally noticed her!" Shirou cursed. Thor bit his lip as he thought his options through. Begrudgingly, Thor held up his right hand as it shined bright.

"Berserker! Grab me and retreat! I'm not going to let you die in a pathetic battle like that, do you hear me!?" Thor shouted as loud as he could, his command seal activating fully, leaving him with one left. Berserker roared loudly as he tried to resist, but the command seal won out as he suddenly slammed his arm into the ground to propel himself through the air to catch Berserker. Rin tried to shoot them down with Gandr but Berserker quickly and easily dodged each shot with the tendrils extending from his body slamming into the walls to launch them around.

"You weren't bad at all! Any of you!" Thor called out. "Holding your own against us like that is really good; you've all proven that you can even stand up against the lightning god, Thor!" He continued, smiling near the end. "Next time… let's see if you can keep up with the true Almighty Thor!" Shortly after the two leapt over a rooftop and vanished.

Finally, the attackers were gone and the fighting was over. This left the group time to wonder what exactly would happen next with so many powerful players involved with this conquest.

And, moreover, what exactly Gilgamesh had to do with it all.


	14. Magic God

**Alright, so some things happen in this chapter that i need to address, so please stick around and hold any/all questions until the end.**

 **That said, i hope you like it!**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The next day was bright and sunny, an oddity for the fall season.

"So… have you noticed it then…?" Touma asked absentmindedly.

"Yeah… definitely…" Shirou replied.

"So… you're not going to do anything about it?" Touma questioned.

"I'm not sure if I should do anything about it… I've never seen her like this." Shirou seemed conflicted.

The thing they were questioning was how Rin was acting. Shirou and Rin decided to stay the night, much to Touma's displeasure due to space issues, and in the morning and since, Rin had been abnormally hyper. She was practically bouncing all around Touma's apartment, doing little things here and there gleefully. No matter what it was she never lost her sudden surge of spunk.

"You seem to be in very high spirits today, Rin." Saber commented as she ate.

"Do you really think so?" Rin asked. "I don't know what it is, but I just can't seem to stop moving today! I can't sit still at all! I feel like I can do anything!" She continued cheerfully.

"You did get out of a fight against a lightning god… perhaps you are elated that you were able to do well against such an opponent." Othinus commented. "Being able to fight a god, even if he wasn't a proper Magic God, might have instilled a feeling of power; your mood might just be your mind reacting to such."

"Maybe? I don't know. I haven't felt this good in so long! It's amazing!" Rin rubbed her neck.

"…So Thor is behind Tohsaka-san's mood." Shirou commented, seeming a little bit irritated. In a moment Rin was in his face.

"What's wrong, Shirou-kun? Jealous, are we?" Rin mocked with a smile, causing Shirou to blush, much to his frustration. "Wanting to be the one to put me in a good mood yourself, huh?"

"What? No, that's no-" Before he could properly answer Rin suddenly kissed him, making him blush deeper.

"So… does that make it any better?" Rin asked with a notable giggle in her voice.

"…Like I said, I'm not jea-"Shirou was interrupted as Rin kissed him once more, this time much more passionately.

"Now now… don't worry… let me handle all those negative emotions…" Rin coyly stated as she moved to kiss him again.

"PG 13. You guys can be lovey-dovey but keep the frisky stuff in places where I can't see it." Touma ordered in an annoyed tone, getting a feeling that he knew where their romantic session would lead if he didn't step in.

"…In that case, we're going to borrow your bathroom for a while, no peeking." Rin stated, causing those in the room to turn red themselves at the thought.

"A-absolutely not!" Touma shouted. Rin only giggled in response. After a moment laughter rose out of some of Touma's current guests, making him blush in embarrassment.

"I believe she was just messing with you." Othinus commented.

"…I can see that now. How did I house guests like this…? Such misfortune…" Touma lamented.

"Rin… seriously, are you ok?" Shirou asked in a concerned tone.

"I'm fine, Shirou… I'm just… really happy I guess." Rin commented, taking a seat right next to her lover. "Recently… aside from a few things here and there… I've been feeling a tad useless recently."

"Useless?" Shirou asked, sounding confused. Rin wrapped her arms around him lovingly.

"It's just that… I haven't been able to do too much. When we first met Touma, I was outclassed because of his Imagine Breaker, when it came to our first fight with Thor, I could barely even hurt him, and… I lost myself more than a little of my composure when Fiamma of the Right appeared…" She took a deep breath, letting out a positive sigh. "But last night; I felt like I did something! I managed to drive off Fiamma, and with Index's help I was able to keep up with Thor. I even managed to logic it out to force him to retreat… I feel like I finally contributed something to this effort; it felt amazing!"

"I… know how you feel. I've been getting the same vibe… though fighting Gilgamesh and Berserker kind of helped alleviate it…" Shirou admitted. "This is a really odd vacation, isn't it?"

"More than a little… and it's not the one I wanted but… you have to make the best of what you have, right?" She replied, kissing Shirou's cheek.

"…I'm starting to reconsider letting you two be lovey-dovey now." Touma commented.

"You hush! Mr. Oblivious Playboy!" Rin shot back.

"What the hell are you accusing me of now!?" Touma shouted. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Oh I know; thus the oblivious part… I knew you couldn't read a girl's feelings, but I didn't know you were stupid too…" Rin insulted.

"…Oh so now we're doing this, are we!?" Touma looked irritated.

"I guess we are…!" Rin shot back.

"…She went from hyper-ly helpful, to lovey-dovey, to arguing with Touma…" Index sighed.

"I can tell… the world has changed a lot since my time…" Caster commented, taking a drink of tea. The argument did not cease until suddenly Touma's doorbell rang.

"…Huh? A visitor?" Touma commented. "But… your bounded field should stop people… right?"

"Yeah… who do you think it is?" Rin asked.

"Could be Tsuchimikado…" Touma replied. "People with mana can pass through, right?"

"Yeah… but they shouldn't be able to do so without me noticing…" Rin answered, narrowing her eyes as she thought. "…I'll check it out, stay here." Rin walked towards the front door. She opened the door and promptly jumped back with a scream of fear as the door swung open.

"Tohsaka! What's wrong!?" Shirou immediately jumped to action, blades appearing his hands, but he stopped when he saw who was waiting at the door.

Fiamma of the Right, standing casually with a confused expression and his one hand in his pocket.

"…Did I come at a bad time?" Fiamma questioned.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Touma questioned.

"D-don't treat this as a casual occurrence, you bonehead!" Rin shouted.

"It… honestly kind of is for me…" Touma sighed. Fiamma casually walked inside shutting the door behind him.

"Look… you can stop freaking out; I'm not here to fight." Fiamma started. "Sorry for the way I acted, but fear and intimidation is how you get your job done as an international criminal."

"Then… why were you after us to begin with? On that night a few days ago?" Shirou questioned.

"I believe that's what he's here to tell us, right?" Suddenly Assassin materialized in the room, leaning against a wall.

"I was trying to hound for information… and trying to keep unwanted people from snooping into my business… but it seems impossible for me to keep people out of it now that I'm officially known as a contender in this Illegal Grail War you're all having so much fun with." Fiamma explained.

"…What's your angle then?" Rin asked, seemingly calmed down from her outburst from before. "You don't seem like the kind of person who'd give visitations just to chat." Fiamma eyed her for a moment, before chucking lightly.

"You are quite right, Tohsaka Rin." Fiamma spoke, subtly letting it be known that he more than likely already has information on everyone in the room. "As I told you before… I am currently hunting down a certain Magic God who seems to be intent on interfering with this Grail War."

"What would a Magic God want with the Holy Grail?" Othinus questioned, flying up to land on Touma's shoulder. "Most Magic Gods can already apply phases to alter the world as they see fit; something like this wish granting chalice is in essence useless to them in comparison."

"But remember; you were the only Magic God capable of reviving the dead." Fiamma spoke, silencing the room.

"Revive… the dead…?" Shirou questioned openly. Fiamma nodded.

"Yes… it would seem that a Servant has tracked down a Magic God and persuaded him to join the Grail War in hopes that he'd be revived." Fiamma explained.

"A Servant…? But… that's not possible." Saber commented. "The war only started recently, but it sounds like you've been tracking this Magic God for quite some time."

"Apparently, this mischievous servant somehow summoned himself from the throne of heroes without need of a master. He refers to himself as a Grand Caster, calling himself Solomon, the King of Magic. The man in question summoned himself to meet the Magic God about a week before this war started." Fiamma leaned his left shoulder against a wall.

"Solomon…? He's… the one who fathered the current system of magecraft and magic… what does he want so badly that he feels the need to revive himself…?" Rin spoke up, putting her hand to her chin as she thought.

"Apparently he set his sights on going from king to god, but found it kind of hard to ascend to godhood as a heroic spirit, it would seem." Fiamma replied.

"So whoever he is, he's going after an upgrade to his title… wanting to become a Magic God himself and he went after one to help him do it." Touma thought out-loud, crossing his arms.

"More over; Solomon has never been summoned as a Heroic Spirit properly prior to this, so we have no idea what exactly he can do." Fiamma explained. "But that's not all; how many of you know of Shinto?"

"The old Japanese religion…? What's that got to do with anything?" Rin questioned.

"Because, someone claiming to be Susanoo himself has decided to grace Academy City with his presence; that's the Magic God who Solomon is working with." Fiamma explained.

"Takehaya Susanoo; Japanese god of the sea and storms." Index spoke as if she were reading it out of a book. "So… the Shinto gods have returned to the world once more…?"

"No; just the one. Susanoo is trying to awaken his siblings from their slumber, it would seem. As to why Susanoo can't do it himself is beyond me, but apparently Solomon has the key somewhere in that magic-obsessed brain of his." Fiamma explained.

"So that's his bargaining chip… the idea of, "bring me back to life and I'll awaken your sleeping brother and sister," that's definitely a dirty tactic to convince someone." Touma commented.

"That's all the information I have. I almost caught Susanoo, but that idiot Thor attacked me. I sent Lancer to tail him but that was a complete failure…" Fiamma rubbed the back of his head.

"Hey, be careful who you give shit to. I don't care if you are some all-powerful mage; I'll run you through if you keep badmouthing my efforts like that." A voice spoke from behind Fiamma. Lancer faded into view; apparently following Fiamma in, disguised in his spirit form. However, he appeared much more casual at the moment, only being dressed in black pants and a green Hawaiian shirt.

"Keep better track of your targets and I won't bad mouth you." Fiamma replied.

"…Do you guys see what I mean when I say I don't like being paired up with him!?" Lancer shouted. "Seriously…! Talk about bad luck…!"

"…I feel like me and you would get along really well." Touma suddenly commented. Index herself suddenly ran to the front of the gathering in a rush.

"Oh my! Cú Chulainn! Ireland's Child of Light!" Index happily called out.

"…Ok, and why does she know me instantly!?" Lancer shouted.

"I read all about you during my time in Europe a few months ago! I really liked the stories! S-sorry for giving your identity away… I saw a lot of pictures and I have a perfect memory so…" Index gently poked her fingers together, hanging her head in embarrassment. Lancer sighed.

"…I guess if she's a fan, I can't be too angry." He said, rubbing his neck. "She's a little too young for me, though… maybe in a few years…" he continued to think to himself on the prospect of what Index would look like as a full grown adult.

"What happened while you were trying to chase down Susanoo?" Shirou asked.

"I was following his mana trail; the guy can fly by expending his magical power into the air. I'm guessing he caught on to me and sent out a bunch of different trails with some kind of wind manipulation to throw me off… I had no choice but to pick one and roll with it; ended up being a wrong choice…" Lancer admitted.

"That's all the information I have." Fiamma commented. "If you truly wish to continue your efforts in this Grail War, you will undoubtedly face Susanoo and Solomon at some point."

"…Would you be our opponent as well?" Rin asked. "You said you don't really care about it all, but you are still a master… if your goal were to be completed, would you seek out the Grail?"

"I have little interest in such an archaic and barbaric system of wars for wishes. Though… if someone I despise were to claim its power they could potentially become a problem…" Fiamma thought openly. "…Stay on my good side as you go on, and we will not quarrel further."

"I don't really care for it myself either." Lancer added. "I'm more or less into it to try and enjoy myself a bit. My master has a lot of work to do, and as long as that's the case I'm satisfied." Lancer then walked closer to Rin personally, putting a hand on her shoulder. "But I'm not the kind of person to give up on a good fight; if you expect me to just roll over and die for you, I'm sorry to say it's not going to be that easy. I hope you're ready to put a little work into it, lil' lady." Lancer joked lightly near the end, but his words seemed to irk Rin a bit.

"We're more than ready, Lancer. But to be clear…" Shirou walked forward and grabbed Lancer's hand and pulled hit off of Rin and held it in his grip. "…I believe I told you a long time ago to stay away from Rin." He spoke sternly. Lancer chuckled lightly as Rin turned bright red in embarrassment.

"That right! We did have that agreement, didn't we? Sorry boss, it slipped my mind!" Lancer laughed.

"Y-you… i-idiot…!" Rin stuttered out.

"…Shirou is the possessive type. Learn something new every day… explains why he got jealous of Thor earlier…" Touma commented. Shirou seemingly overheard this comment and turned red himself, appearing irritated.

"With that all said and done… isn't it time to go?" Lancer asked.

"Yeah; we've done our task for the day." Fiamma responded. Lancer turned into his spirit form in acknowledgement.

"Are you sure you have to leave? I was going to prepare some more tea." Caster asked. Rin suddenly looked frightened once more, but Fiamma shook his head, causing her to let out a relieved sigh.

"I'm the kind of person with a target on their back… it would be best for me to leave." Fiamma stated as he turned for the door. "Good luck with your Illegal Grail War; may your victories be savory and many in number." With that Fiamma vanished without a trace.

"…Facing off against another Magic God huh…?" Touma thought out loud, standing idly as he processed what he was just told.

"Don't worry about it; we have your back. You won't face this one alone." Shirou stated.

"Agreed. Magic is still magic, so a Saber-Class like me will be more than prepared to fight against a deity like this. Do not fear, for I shall land you my blade in this dark time. Be it a thunder god like Thor, or a Magic God like Susanoo, I will not allow them to harm you." Saber added. Looking around, it appeared that everyone shared a smiler sentiment. Despite this, Touma still felt uneasy.

"You'll be fine." Othinus interrupted Touma's thoughts instantly, seemingly sensing doubt. She looked up at him from his shoulder and spoke once more.

"Don't worry… you'll be fine… I swear it."

 **-Switchyard, 9:47 PM-**

Tracking an almighty Magic God was difficult, but not impossible. Their mana signature is special; it sticks out like a sore thumb when they aren't suppressing it, especially when using their abilities.

And oddly, that signature was erupting like an active volcano in the switchyard in district 17.

"So… they are going really out of their way for this, nya!" Tsuchimikado commented over the phone. "Any clues as to what he's doing all the way out there?"

"Excalibur's power was used there just last week. Residual mana from the affair may still linger there; the Grand Caster may have led him there to absorb it to strengthen himself." Fiamma spoke on the other side of the line.

"I gotcha… what's the game plan?" Tsuchimikado questioned.

"Confirm that Susanoo is indeed there, and engage him. I'll know when you do, and make my way over while you're distracting him. I'll be waiting." Fiamma then hung up on his side and Tsuchimikado sighed. A voice rang in his head a short time later as Tsuchimikado traveled.

"I am in position; I can clearly see you." Archer spoke, his words appearing in Tsuchimikado's mind. "Are you sure this is a wise course of action…?"

"Wise or not, we don't have much of a choice… if we went all-in on our little war, this guy would step in… best to take out the biggest threats first, right?" Tsuchimikado answered.

"Just don't take on more than you can handle…" Archer replied. Tsuchimikado smirked and kept his pace.

A short time later, a massive gust of wind blew; the rocks and dirt flying into the air, forcing Tsuchimikado to shield his eyes despite his sunglasses. When the gust died down, Tsuchimikado looked ahead.

He saw a single man standing before him, giving off an angered impression. He stood six feet and three inches tall, staring Tsuchimikado down. His eyes were dark grey in color, and his black hair was long and unruly, seemingly going in all directions with the slightest movement of the wind. He wore a somewhat elaborate white and dark red kimono, and a black under suit that extended to his wrists, ankles, and neck, and seemed to walk around on his bare feet. He had two swords on his waistband, one much longer than the other.

"Well… what do we have here?" Tsuchimikado asked. "May I take a guess…? Takehaya Susanoo? Am I right, Mr. god of sea and storms?"

"Do not speak; I do not care for the words of an ignorant and disrespectful child." The man spoke, somewhat confirming his identity. "You will have only once chance; this ground is forbidden until I have said otherwise. Leave, or my blade will taste your blood."

"Oh come on… I'm just looking around a little bit! I'm searching for something… you know?" Tsuchimikado responded. Susanoo's only response was to generate another gust of wind, hard enough that it nearly knocked Tsuchimikado off his feet. He could feel the anger in the air as he reached for one of his blades; the longer of the two.

" **Ame-no-Habakiri."** Susanoo spoke simply, before suddenly rushing forward, bringing the blade down on top of Tsuchimikado. An attack, invisible to the eye, fired off from a great distance away, hitting the blade and forcing it to miss and slam into the ground, a loud impact triggering at the same time. Angry, Susanoo turned towards the direction of the attack to only to witness the effects of a second one; sonic vacuum blade fired from Archer just barely missing his head. The attack cut open a section of Susanoo's cheek. He slowly wiped the blood away with his thumb, the wound already closed as he finished, and became visibly furious that he had been struck.

"Bad luck, my friend!" Tsuchimikado dropped a black origami figure out of his hand, a magic circle appearing mid-drop. "The color black is the symbol of water. Open a path similar to that violence! **Black Spell!"** A large sphere of water, about a meter across, appeared from the circle. Tsuchimikado thrust an open palm into the sphere and it fired off like a cannonball, slamming into Susanoo's body and propelling him a fair distance away. After a short time, the sphere shattered and vanished, Susanoo standing tall.

"Do you really think that a paltry attack such as that would damage me…!?" Susanoo spat.

"No, but it got you away from me!" Tsuchimikado shouted, grinning as he took out four red origami figurines. "Alright Archer! Let him have it! Give him a show that he'll never forget!"

"As you request." Archer, about a mile away on a rooftop took aim with his bow. "I hope he doesn't mind, but it will be quick. **Failnaught: Fantasia of Lamentation!"** Archer pulled back on the numerous strings on his bow and let go each pull unleashing a vacuum blade, repeating this motion rapidly to fire of a massive barrage of attacks upon the unsuspecting Susanoo. He moved forward to attempt to strike down Tsuchimikado, but was stopped when the barrage landed, and he was forced to defend himself.

Susanoo quickly deflected each attack with his Ame-no-Habakiri, noticing the changes in wind flow to tell each vacuum blade's position. In spite of that, his defense was not perfect as several vacuum blades seemed to arc around at an angle and hit him from behind; piercing his body. He quickly healed after each blow however, and each attack only made the Magic God angrier.

"The last shot; this is my arrow!" Archer pulled back all the strings at once and let them go simultaneously, unleashing a much larger vacuum blade attack.

"You underestimate the power of a god!" Susanoo struck the attack with his blade and sliced it in half perfectly; the split attack hitting the ground a fair distance behind him.

This wasn't the direct assault, however.

It was a distraction for the real one.

"I hope you like it, this is the finale!" Tsuchimikado shouted, catching Susanoo's attention. The god turned in anger, but this quickly turned to shock as he looked upon Tsuchimikado; glowing origami pieces all around him with his fist aimed at the Magic God. His entire body was bleed profusely; form the ears, eyes, mouth, even certain sections of his body seemed to burst and leak blood.

What confused Susanoo was not the boy's state, but the fact that he never landed a single wound upon his body to cause such damage.

"Here it goes!" Tsuchimikado shouted, having prepared the chant during Archer's onslaught. **"Red Spell: Shikigami Pistol!"** All of the accumulated mana suddenly surged forth in the form of a massive blast of blue energy. It tore the ground apart as it traveled toward Susanoo, who stood ready to face the attack head-on.

Just as it would hit, someone else appeared in the blast's path.

The man raised one hand, and the Shikigami Pistol dispersed into pure mana on the spot, surrounding the person and swirling around him.

"Onmyodou Arts. Japanese esoteric cosmology, a mixture of natural science and occultism. Pulling the power of the world itself to use as magecraft with destructive results… how interesting." The man spoke as if he had seen it a thousand times. He was tan, and he stood only a few inches shorter than Susanoo, and wore an elaborate red, white, and black garb that covered him all the way down to his feet. His arms were exposed, and covered in tattoos and golden rings, and each of his fingers and thumbs had a golden ring with various inscriptions on them as well. His hair was white and unkempt, except for a single large braid that traveled down from the left side of his head to his chest, which was covered in red jewels. His eyes were a sharp yellow, as he glared at Tsuchimikado. "It is unfortunate that all magecraft, regardless of name or power, is an insignificant event to the King of Magic." The mana that was swirling around then flowed into the man's body, seemingly being absorbed.

"How the…?" Tsuchimikado stuttered out, just barely able to stand due to his wounds.

"You face Solomon; King of Magic. If you insist to use the craft that I created against me, I insist that you will find yourself quite disappointed with the results." The man spoke once more.

"I don't need your help, magician." Susanoo stated.

"I am fully aware; such an attack would have done little against you… but I saw such a huge influx of mana and I simply couldn't help myself. I meant no disrespect." Solomon responded. Susanoo narrowed his eyes, but seemed to accept the answer.

'So… this guy can just cancel out and absorb magic, huh…? Shit… I don't think buying time for Fiamma is an option anymore…!' Tsuchimikado thought. Solomon raised one hand into the air as a variety of magic circles formed, channeling a large amount of mana. Archer reacted to this by firing his bow at the Grand Caster, but Solomon's circles turned as if he could see the assault coming, and they unleashed a barrage of beams of energy. They blasted right through Archer's vacuum blades and Archer was forced to retreat from his position. The magic attack hit the building and each beam exploded on contact; completely destroying the rooftop Archer was maintaining as a sniper's nest.

"Such impudent fools… thinking that a simple Archer can even hope to lay a finger upon me." Solomon spat, his eyes showing anger.

"Stand aside, magician. I will kill the boy myself." Susanoo started to move forward, dragging his blade along the ground.

"As you wish." Solomon moved to his right, permitting access.

"Shit…! I can't get away like this…!" Tsuchimikado thought out loud.

"Correct; you can't. Be thankful that your death will be swift." Susanoo raised his blade into the air, in preparation to slam it down upon the boy just barely standing before him.

"Susanoo; jump backward in two seconds." Solomon called out. In a moment, Lancer suddenly appeared with Gáe Bolg, attempting to impale Susanoo on his spear. Susanoo took the recommendation to heart however, as he leapt backward just in time to dodge a fatal strike to the heart.

"Damn… close…!" Lancer cursed.

"A blow to the heart with that lance is fatal; possibly even to you." Solomon spoke.

"Is it now…? Then I'll just have to take that twig and break it in half!" Susanoo spat.

"Sorry, no can do!" Lancer smirked as he jumped back, moving to heave Tsuchimikado over his shoulder.

"Retreat to save that boy is what you've been ordered, am I wrong?" Solomon spoke. Lancer clicked his teeth. "Please inform Fiamma of the Right that if he wishes to stand against us, that he should come himself next time. I wonder if his Holy Right can bypass my archetype as King of Magic."

"Oh… you do now?" Lancer replied. "…Well, turns out he has a response!" Lancer leaped into the sky, and aimed his lance downward at the two. Gáe Bolg began to shine brightly, erupting in a bright red light.

"Magician…?" Susanoo questioned.

"Take two steps back and you shall be unharmed." Solomon replied.

"Eat this! **Gáe Bolg: Soaring Strike!"** Lancer thrust his spear as Solomon raised his hand. The spear unleashed a powerful explosion upon impact, blanketing the entire area in a sea of flames as it rippled outward. The shockwave blasted Lancer through the air, which was his main intention it would seem. After a short time Gáe Bolg returned to his hand and he turned to run, using the cover of the attack to mask his escape.

Time passed slowly as the smoke form the attack cleared. Caster was revealed holding up his hand, forming a barrier around the two. The event now over, the barrier faded and Solomon lowered his arm once more.

"Letting them escape?" Susanoo asked.

"No; as long as they exist they truly cannot escape me… or you for that matter." Solomon stated. "It would just be unwise to make too big of a ruckus now to chase after them…"

"And why is that? I grow tired of these games, magician!" Susanoo shouted.

"You are not the only one whose actions exist outside of fate and destiny, and can alter such with your actions, Susanoo. Two others who reside in this city can do the same… and both of them would be dangerous to deal with unprepared." Solomon explained.

"…So they can alter the time stream change the events you predict as well, just as I can." Susanoo commented, sheathing his blade.

"Yes… so we must tread carefully. The moment that the Holy Grail is in our hands, however, we can do as we please with impunity." Solomon explained.

"…If we are finished here, let us go. I grow weary of this place." Susanoo spoke.

"As you wish." Solomon replied. He raised his hand into the air and with sleight of hand, a magic circle appeared below the two and they vanished into it.

But this was just their first appearance in this tale, of course.

The God of the sea and storms and the King of Magic would not be very far behind those who seek out the Holy Grail.

* * *

 **Alright, so... some things about Solomon here. Some people may be confused, some may not be.**

 **When I was first doing research for characters I wanted to use here, I stumbled upon ol' Grand Caster Solomon here, read up on him at the time and the information on him and what he wanted, and felt that with some additional options open to him, he could end up being a good cohort to Susanoo, because the Magic God on his own seemed a little dull. I knew Solomon was from Grand Order but decided he would fit anyway.**

 **But then some new information came out about him via translations.**

 **Turns out the evil Grand Caster Solomon is actually just Solomon's body possessed by King of Demon Gods Goetia, which is basically an amalgamation of all 72 Demon God's from a Grimoire known as, "The Lesser Key of Solomon," and that the actual Solomon was actually someone else entirely.**

 **And all this information dropped when Solomon was already an integral part of the story and couldn't be changed very easily. Needless to say, I was frustrated when I learned of this.**

 **So I only really had two options; leave the story as is despite the flaws, or take large amounts of time and possibly delay chapter releases so I could re-plan the later-chapters of the story, because significant changes would have been needed.**

 **As you can see, I decided to leave it as is, because I feel that despite the flaws with Solomon, with how things were set-up, it ended up being the Stronger Story.**

 **I just wanted to take some time to clear that up, just in case some people were confused.**

 **Please, tell me what you think! Thank you!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed it!**


	15. Strongest

**Here we go! Got a few things to say before we begin.**

 **1) Thanks to people who approve of the master/servant set-up of Accelerator and Iskandar. I really liked the idea of these two, and I'm glad that people agree that it's solid. For those wishing to see some more Accelerator and Iskandar action, consider your wishes granted.**

 **2) Someone asked me last time if they could translate this story into their native language, so i'll put a blanket statement here. If you desire to translate this story into another language, as long as you can do a good translation (no google translate, cheaters!) and are completely upfront about the fact that I am the original author and give credit as such, you have my complete and full blessing to do so. I have no objections whats-o-ever as long as the translation is solid and credit is given... though I do acknowledge since that it would be a different language, I have no way to make sure either is done. Either way... if you wanna translate it, go for it. I feel like I could of said this in less words, but oh well. Redundancy Redundant.**

 **Now that everything is out of the way, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

At the same time as a certain magician engaged a Magic God, another event began to take place.

Following the King of Heroes as he acted in the night.

From the many rooftops of Academy City, Gilgamesh appeared and disappeared seemingly at random. However; his random actions did have purpose.

Observation.

The group that surrounded Kamijou Touma, the current target of his interest into the nature of his current existence, had once more made their way out into the city streets.

Unable to act directly without some risk to his person, Gilgamesh decided to bide his time.

He moved from rooftop to rooftop during his quest for information, suppressing his mana. He could sense the disturbance over across the city, but it did not concern him.

Kamijou Touma himself, traveled with the faker, Emiya Shirou, as well as his servant, Assassin, and finally Saber. The other group, Tohsaka Rin and the incarnation of the Holy Grail, Caster. traveled with Index as they searched for traces of mana to link the events together. It would appear that they decided to put Touma under extra guard because they were now aware Gilgamesh was after him.

During their travels, the trio seemed to have come across the boy calling himself Thor once more, and he rushed to engage Rin, Caster, and Index eagerly. Gilgamesh determined that little would be gained from conflict; even if any of them died it mattered little. He departed shortly after.

The other group wasn't much better. They could not find anything as they traveled. Gilgamesh gazed with irritation, he wanted an opportunity to act, but the others were never too far away from his prize. He spent a half hour observing before he reasoned that the time to strike would not appear this night, and promptly left.

With little else to do, he decided to track down his master, Hayden. As much as he hated to admit it, Hayden's death would be an inconvenience. He could last long periods of time due to his independent action skill without a mana source, but it would make things somewhat more difficult for him. His much more powerful Noble Phantasms in the treasury would consume large amounts of his limited mana if he was forced to use them.

Best to make sure that his source of mana was not trying to get himself killed, at least.

Gilgamesh appeared once more, overlooking a city street. He gazed down, observing below; only two people were visible. One was a boy walking with a cane and white hair, the other was Hayden himself, slowly stalking the male. Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes; he noticed an obvious change in his master's actions.

Before when it came to Thor, Hayden acted rather recklessly, assuming his target would be defeated easily. But now he was being extremely cautious with his approach. Almost too cautious, in fact.

Hayden knew something about this boy; something that forced him to take such action.

All Gilgamesh saw however was a crippled boy just barely able to walk. This seemed to actually irritate him more.

A voice from behind interrupted his thoughts.

"So… we meet yet again, King of Heroes!" The voice was loud and booming. Gilgamesh didn't need to turn to recognize it. A small smile appeared on his normally sullen face.

It was someone that even he could respect in some regard.

"King of Conquerors. Do you hold the title of Rider once more?" Gilgamesh replied. He heard a hearty laugh in response.

"That would be correct!" The Rider, Iskandar, walked up to stand next to the man in golden armor, a noticeable smile across his masculine face. "You do not seem to have changed very much either. It would be a shame if you had lost even a bit of your shine."

"You seem awfully happy to see the man who ended your conquest not so long ago." Gilgamesh questioned.

"Loss in conquest is only natural. Some wars can have over one-thousand battles before a victor can be decided. The loss of one conflict is not something to be concerned with." Rider replied.

"I suppose if you are greeting me so familiarly without weapons drawn, that you do not seek an invasion this night then?" Gilgamesh turned to face the giant next to him.

"Only if you wish it." Rider replied. "My partner… has been a tad irritated recently... more so than usual. It would seem that since he discovered someone close to him being involved with the war, he's lost all interest in participating. It's saddening; when I confronted him about it; he was so angry he freely used a command seal to force me to distance myself from him. It's worn off since then… but I figured it best to let him have his time alone."

"It seems you have a rather temperamental master then. How unfortunate." Gilgamesh replied.

"Indeed… but it's not like I can't understand his position." Rider replied. "You said there was only one person you could call your friend, yes? If that person suddenly appeared in this war as your enemy, would you be able to immediately strike them down?"

Gilgamesh's thoughts turned to ages past for a moment; long before his appearance here as a Heroic Spirit.

"…I suppose not." Gilgamesh admitted. "Though I would be overjoyed to see him again, to clash with my age old friend once more, I would indeed be saddened by seeing his death after the fact."

"Now you understand why I choose to be patient with him." Rider finished. "Now; that raises the question: what are you doing out this evening?"

"Tracking down my sad excuse for a master. He's the one stalking that crippled boy down below… the little whelp that he is." Gilgamesh answered.

"So he is…" Rider rubbed his chin. "…Say, I have a proposition for you then."

"I'm listening." Gilgamesh answered, curious.

"If you can bring forth wine for us to drink, I will gladly pour it for us both, does that sound fair?"

"Why would you bring up such a thing at a time like this?"

"Because… it would seem that, though we are servants, that it will be our masters entertaining us this night!" Rider replied joyously.

"…So that boy is…"

"Indeed! But do not look down upon because of his impairment now; he has a power that rivals that of the gods themselves!" Rider replied. "Even I could not even begin to fathom how to invade a world in which he controls!"

"That's a bold statement…" Gilgamesh's eyes wandered back to the boy walking down the street, relying on his cane. Gilgamesh held out his hand and a gate opened, a large, seemingly full, jug appeared. "Consider your terms accepted, King of Conquerors. This had best not bore me."

The events would then shift down to the streets below, as Hayden stalked his prey.

'Accelerator.' Hayden thought as he moved; being sure to keep a careful distance from the boy ahead of him. 'Academy City's highest ranked level 5… and one of the keys to Aleister's plan… the chances of him becoming involved in this war were so small… yet here he is…"

He continued to move, preparing his magic. It's not like what happened with Thor; this person he knew very much about. He was one of the two who went head to head with Archangel Gabriel and won, after all.

He is the kind of person who could end Hayden's life with a single touch.

Moments passed; Hayden would readily admit that he was nervous. Failure here would ultimately lead to his demise, without a doubt.

He moved one hand, casting air-styled magic. And moments later, moved the other, casting earth.

Accelerator noticed something odd; the air flow around him suddenly changed. But then the ground started to shift. Earth broke through the dense concrete in an instant and wrapped all around him like a sphere. In seconds, his entire body was enclosed.

He observed the darkness. He grinned. He moved one hand up to his collar and switched on his electrode.

In an instant, Accelerator broke free, destroying a side of his container. He grinned at Hayden, and tried to shout. Nothing came. It hit him as he tried to take a breath; all of oxygen around him was gone. He did not know how, but this person erased all traces of air in a large area around him. Earth once more erupted from the ground and from his former container; the prison grew larger and thicker as it continued to add more mass, even going as far to integrate the concrete into the sphere.

"Direct assault is impossible against someone as strong as you; suffocate and die as you lose strength, you monster." Hayden did not let up; continuously adding layer upon layer to the earth prison he had created.

His efforts were in vain however, as Accelerator burst from the sphere, moving like a bullet as he slammed a fist into Hayden's stomach, launching him down the sidewalk. He didn't stop until he hit a metal pole and fell to the ground, groaning in pain.

"Not a bad idea, you piece of shit." Accelerator grinned. "Take away all the oxygen and trap me so I can't get more; bravo on your research, figuring out a way to bypass my ability. But it seems like you didn't vacate enough of the air…" Accelerator grinned wider. "If you try this again, try taking away the entire city's oxygen supply; then maybe you'd stand a chance of killing me before I tracked you down!"

Hayden clicked his teeth. In truth; he had vacated the entire supply of the entire street for about a block, only keeping a small pocket for himself, but Accelerator broke free and attacked him, and then entered the oxygen bubble that he had crated. By the time Hayden hit the pole, oxygen had rushed to fill in the void he created, and even if it hadn't; Accelerator could have easily covered the distance needed to escape the vacuum he had created.

This boy, Accelerator, was truly a monster.

"But you know how that has to end right…?" Accelerator stomped the ground, amplifying the force with his ability. All the buildings around shook and the remains of the concrete street shattered like glass in an instant. Hayden used his magic to propel himself through the air, dodging the shockwave that demolished the entire roadway.

"Erase all the air in the entire city? If that's what it takes to rid the world of a creature such as you, then so be it!" Hayden shouted as he prepared his next spell.

"Who are you talking to?" A voice rose up from behind, as Accelerator was suddenly behind him in the air. He chopped Hayden in the back, the amplified force launching him into the ground like a rocket. His body actually flipped mid-drop and he landed on his back; digging through the ground horizontally upon impact. Accelerator dropped from the sky, slamming his foot into Hayden's chest, forcing the magician to cough up blood. His body suddenly felt limp as he laid at Accelerator's mercy.

"You… beast…!" Hayden coughed loudly.

"Guessing a rib broke… probably pierced a lung… oh well." Accelerator knelt down, pulling a simple handgun from the back of his pants, and aiming it down at Hayden. "Now; let's start with who you are, and who sent you… normally I'd just kill you off but I'm slightly curious… magicians don't hunt me down very often, you know?"

"Go… to hell…!" Hayden spat. Accelerator clicked his teeth and moved his gun slightly to the right; pulling the trigger and shooting a hole in Hayden's ear, causing him to cry out in pain.

"Next one hits your other ear… so do pay attention while you still can listen. Next I'll shoot off your fingers, one by one… being sure to use my ability to stop the blood flow so you don't die of shock or blood-loss. Understand? This isn't a negotiation, this is complete domination. Answer my questions and I'll send you on your way to hell, but piss me off more and I won't stop until you beg me to kill you!" Accelerator shouted, making his demands rather clear.

Above, Gilgamesh watched with a combination of surprise and disappointment on his face.

"He is quite good at dealings, wouldn't you agree? He'd be an ultimate interrogation officer; not having to worry about his mark dying." Rider commented, taking a drink from his cup. "You look unsatisfied, King of Heroes."

"It would seem that your partner is as strong as you claim him to be." Gilgamesh swirled the wine in his chalice for a moment. "Mine had an idea, and even I must admit such a tactic should have worked, but his target is simply too strong for simple solutions such as that… a beast still capable of baring its fangs even with the necessary elements of his life removed is a frightening thing to face indeed… at least, for a mortal."

"Yet your tone gives of the tone of displeasure?" Rider questioned further.

"I am displeased that I could not have had such a competent partner in all of this, and moreover, that I must save my worthless partner should things proceed further. I am not one who wishes to interfere in the worthless lives of mortal men yet in this situation I must things will become difficult in the future… it irritates me greatly." Gilgamesh answered, downing the last remnants of his wine.

"Don't fret too much over it. Besides; I doubt you would be able to deal with such a temperamental boy. Beings of great power tend to reject one another, after especially if they are near equivalents in strength." Rider stated.

"…You seem to be implying something and I'm not sure if I like it or not." Gilgamesh replied.

"Well, you are the mighty Gilgamesh, King of Heroes; one of the strongest who wields over one-thousand Noble Phantasms." Rider started. "That boy below is simply known as the Accelerator, the absolute strongest Esper, as they are called, to live within these walls. From what I have been able to pilfer, the gap between him and his peers is so great that even the second strongest at his best doesn't stand a chance when Accelerator is at his worst. He may not have the authority of such, but in terms of power would definitely put him in the position of King of Espers, would it not?"

"…I am inclined to agree." Gilgamesh spoke after a time.

"Would the King of Heroes like to extend an olive branch of peace to the King of Espers? Or has the age of warring kings returned once more?" Rider asked simply.

"You ask that as if the age of warring kings ever vanished to begin with." Gilgamesh smiled. He set down his chalice and stood tall. "I trust that you won't interfere?"

"Truth be told… I was hoping I could meet someone who has a chance of facing him. His choices have become clouded with desires in this war; I think that meeting someone who can match him and possibly even surpass him in terms of power might give him the clarity he needs…" Rider finished off his wine as well. "But if his life is truly in danger… or he uses a command seal, I cannot swear off the notion completely, unfortunately."

"I suppose that is an acceptable answer. Very well; as a gift from me to you, I shall instruct your partner on the ways of being a king." Gilgamesh stepped off the building and dropped, rifts opening up as he descended down and firing off weapons. Each one seemingly hit Accelerator's back, only to suddenly shoot straight back where they came, destroying large sections of the buildings along the street. Accelerator noticed the event and turned to face the man in golden armor as he landed.

The two did not speak to greet each other; Gilgamesh smirked at his new opponent. Accelerator gritted his teeth in annoyance before breaking out into a smirk of his own.

"…I see. That's how it is, huh…" Accelerator spoke, lifting up Hayden by his shirt collar. He tossed the magician against a wall; Hayden slumping down to a sitting position after the impact. "Sit there and watch, you piece of shit. I'm going to tear your servant apart right in front of you. Don't lose consciousness now; it'd be a shame for you to miss the show."

"So confident in your victory at this stage, are we?" Gilgamesh mocked, his arms crossed.

"If that little display of yours is all you got, I've already won you golden bastard." Accelerator replied.

There was a silence between the two for a time.

But this peace was brief.

A volley of weapons fired from rifts opened by Gilgamesh as Accelerator rushed forward. Each one hit their mark, but were launched back to where they came.

'I see… so it does not matter which direction they attack from; assaults from all angels will be deflected.' Gilgamesh thought as he stepped to the side, dodging the attack. Accelerator's direct combat ability was low, and although Gilgamesh was a king first and a warrior second, he was still far more than a cut above the mighty Esper in terms of fighting experience.

The one thing that kept the contest between the two was Accelerator's ability.

Next, Gilgamesh attempted to use his Enkidu chains to wrap around Accelerator's neck to strangle him. Even that was pushed away as Accelerator once more stomped his foot onto the ground, upturning a large series of concrete stones. He slammed his fists into each one and the shot off like rockets towards Gilgamesh. These were easily destroyed in retaliation as he fired off much more powerful weapons; but these too were easily dismissed by Accelerator's Vector Change.

'If that's how it is…' Gilgamesh loaded another volley as Accelerator charged closer once more. Vector Change easily dealt with them all except for one, which was not even aimed at him at all. It hit the ground in front of Accelerator's travel path and violently exploded with electricity; the radius easily encompassing the esper as smoke covered the street. Shortly after, Accelerator shot out with a chambered fist, throwing it at Gilgamesh when he was close. The attack missed, Gilgamesh predicting the strike.

The golden king narrowed his eyes; Accelerator's power was immense but its usage was sloppy. Gilgamesh moved to punch the esper in the stomach while he was passing by, but his fist was reflected on contact, shooting pain up through Gilgamesh's arm. Accelerator spun, using the opportunity to kick Gilgamesh across the face and launch him away.

Gilgamesh gritted his teeth in irritation, as he once again was struck by an opponent he considered so far below him that he would consider it a sin to gaze upon him. But he was learning.

He learned that Accelerator can amplify the forces he exerts at will. He learned that direct attacks aimed at him regardless of visibility of attack would be reflected. He learned that indirect attacks such as an explosion would also fail. And with his punch, he learned that the force exerted, regardless of its source being a weapon or man, would be deflected as well.

Gilgamesh would continue to learn, and the moment he learned the weakness in that armor, he would exploit it.

He fired five blades, only one actually aimed at the esper in question; the other four hit the ground near him and exploded, not to attempt to damage, but to mask the area. As the dust settled, Accelerator saw that he was surrounded in every direction by Gilgamesh's gates. In an instant they all fired at once.

Every single one failed to bypass Accelerators defenses, either being sent straight back or being shot into the ground.

The street was quickly becoming more akin to a warzone with weapons slamming into buildings and destroying property; Hayden must have cast some kind of spell to stop others from interfering, it would seem. Its effective range must have been large; explosions would have attracted a crowd by now.

"You really are a one trick man, huh?" Accelerator mocked, once more angering the King of Heroes.

His next test would be weapons that could easily pierce mountains. Firing off his attack Accelerator rushed through deflecting them and grabbing ahold of one in an attempt to bring it down on Gilgamesh. Another weapon intercepted the strike and destroyed the blade before it landed, and Gilgamesh once more made distance.

He learned that regardless of the force exerted, it would be reflected.

With his attack prior, he learned that the number of attacks was irrelevant.

Next he would try weapons capable of piercing magical barriers with ease.

Another failure.

Next he attempted weapons that were capable of killing immortals.

Another failure.

Then he attempted traps with prizes so alluring that it forced mortal men to covet and seek them out, before the prizes would lash out and kill.

Another failure.

Finally, he pulled himself into the air with an Enkidu chain, as a great golden ship appeared in the air for him to land on. It had green and black wings, glowing brightly in the night sky. It was **Vimana: Throne of the Heaven-Soaring King,** armed to the teeth with all kinds of magical weaponry. He opened fire with it, finding a rare occurrence to use his ship to tis maximum potential in a worthy situation.

He heard cackling of laughter as Accelerator burst from his bombardment, cyclones seemingly coming from his back as he crashed right into one of Vimana's wings, destroying it and sending the golden ship spiraling into the ground. Gilgamesh leapt off his doomed ship and Accelerator followed shortly after, flying through the air with the cyclones on his back. Gilgamesh called upon a divine shield, one so powerful that it could block powerful magic. Accelerator slammed his fist into the shield and Gilgamesh was launched by the impact. Due to his strength as a spirit, he was able to easily recover from the impact and land safely.

He learned that it did not matter the method, weapons or magic, the attacks came, they would be reflected. But he also learned that Accelerator cannot override enchantment; his shield was crafted and enchanted so it could not be broken, and it did not receive even a scratch from the attack.

Gilgamesh was growing frustrated. He was learning so many tactics that had no chance of success, but not a single weakness. The most he could figure is that his shield could block his assaults regardless of intensity, but that just left them at a stalemate where neither could harm the other further.

There was only one option left, he hated to admit. One thing that might be able to pierce that veil Accelerator wore. A divine weapon capable of destroying entire worlds with its power.

"Congratulations, you brat." Gilgamesh called out. "You have succeeded in your quest to anger me; therefore, I shall show you my true power!" A golden rift appeared near Gilgamesh; a large key of sorts formed in his hand and he held it up into the sky. A seemingly endless number of red beams of light shot into the sky, all connected to the key. After a short time, the lights reduced in number, and the key was no longer in Gilgamesh's hands.

Then, a cylindrical sword with a golden guard and black blade of sorts rested in the King of Heroes' hand. The cylinder had a large variety of red text inscribed upon it.

" **Sword of Rupture, Ea.** And with it, I will grind your very existence into dust!" Gilgamesh shouted as the cylinder started to spin, rapidly gaining power as the air around suddenly became heavy as power rushed to the black and red blade. Gilgamesh grinned; the thought of annihilating this eyesore from the world filled him with joy.

"That is where this clash ends, I'm afraid." The voice of Rider rang out. Both fighters turned to see Rider himself, holding up the weakened Hayden on one arm, a blade aimed at his neck.

"Iskandar…! What is the meaning of this!?" Gilgamesh spat, finally addressing Rider by his true name.

"About time you fucking did something you lazy oaf!" Accelerator shouted.

"Forgive me; I saw you having so much fun that I found it rude to interrupt… but if he has drawn that blade then I have no choice but to intervene." Rider explained. "Now… I believe my partner said it best: this is not a negotiation, this is domination. Withdraw that blade at once or I'll make sure you never get the mana back from its use." Rider pressed the blade against Hayden's neck to emphasize his point.

Gilgamesh was now beyond angry. The one weapon he could think of to pierce Accelerators armor, and a man comes down to forbid him from using it?

At that moment, anger overrode reason. He turned toward Rider and Hayden and swung his divine blade.

" **Enuma Elish!"** Gilgamesh shouted. A massive red wave of energy erupted out, easily taking up half the size of the building behind the two. Accelerator suddenly shot forward, grabbing the two just before the beam would hit, and pulling them to safety. The beam demolished the building and continued, crashing through it and several more, completely vaporizing them until it came to a street intersection and raced down it.

At the end of this street was a white, windowless building.

The blast smashed into the structure like a tidal wave, but something inside the building pushed back, stopping the assault. And it pushed back long enough for the wave to dissipate and fade.

During the event, Rider had dropped Hayden in the commotion. Though he was out of harm's way, Hayden was more than a fair distance from the two by the time Accelerator came to a stop.

"God damn… that reckless piece of shit could have taken out half the damn city!" Accelerator spat on a rooftop, observing the destruction. His eyes drifted the windowless building that housed the General Superintendent and clicked his teeth.

It didn't even have a scratch on it.

"Don't worry about the civilians, my friend." Rider stood behind Accelerator. "That magician as you called him sent up a bounded field of sorts; preventing ordinary people from entering for a rather large radius around… though that attack more than likely destroyed it… I would suspect authorities will be responding shortly after an event like that."

"…I suppose most of those buildings were offices; they usually don't run overnights in this district because they are school related." Accelerator added.

"…Tell me, that white building over there? It withstood his attack so easily… what does it hold to require such a staunch defense?" Rider asked, curious.

"It holds one who rules this city." Accelerator replied. "Stay far away from it; avoid it at all costs… you don't want to find yourself sucked inside of it."

"If it's a recommendation to avoid danger coming from you, I suppose I have no choice to accept it…" Rider once more looked at the white building, not even darkened by the sudden assault.

But he wasn't the only one looking at it with confusion.

"It may not have been at full power… but not even a scratch!?" Gilgamesh shouted, more confused than anything. He destroyed many structures before it; why did that one survive? He gritted his teeth as Ea vanished from his hand. As much as he hated it, he had another important job now that his opponents were gone.

Hayden was laying on his back, wheezing in his attempts to breath due to his collapsed lung. He shouted in pain with a blade suddenly pierced his shoulder, reaching for it. By the time his hand could hope to grab it however, it vanished into gold dust. He then received an unpleasant kick into his chest.

"You god damn moron, why the bloody hell would you challenge an opponent like that who clearly outclassed you!" Gilgamesh shouted angrily. "Don't you know our lives at this point are connected!? Answer me you mongrel!" He shouted once more. Hayden didn't respond, or to be specific, couldn't. Gilgamesh clicked his teeth as a golden rift appeared and a glass jar with a red liquid appeared in his hand. He took the top off and then forced Hayden's mouth open, forcing the liquid down Hayden's throat.

Gilgamesh was furious. He was forced to use Ea, his most powerful and costly attack. And more over, something existed that could resist its power. His last resort weapon became a necessity, and with that the thought of being cut off from his primary mana supply went from being a minor inconvenience to a death sentence.

If there were foes who forced him to use powerful Noble Phantasms like Ea, then he needed every ounce of mana he could get his hands on, much to his own irritation.

Hayden choked at first, but suddenly started to feel significantly better; he was healed. It was as if he had never battled in the first place.

"Now, answer me!" Gilgamesh demanded. Hayden pulled himself back fearfully before looking down at the ground.

"…My apologies. I merely saw an opportunity and a reason to strike down one of the two most crucial pieces to the leader of this city's plots… with Accelerator being drafted as a master; I couldn't pass it up… I thought my strategy would work for sure…" Hayden answered.

"And just who is this person who you despise so much to let this happen to yourself!?" Gilgamesh shouted once more.

"…Aleister Crowley is his name; he leads this city of abominations." Hayden replied. "Truthfully, a great deal of the world's problems start here with their development processes…"

"So this Aleister is the one responsible for the state of this world then? Perfect." Gilgamesh replied. "Direct me to him so that I can rend him from this world so atrocities such as that boy can no longer be created."

"He resides… in an all-white building. No windows or doors… no way in, no way out." Hayden answered. Gilgamesh narrowed his eyes and forcefully pulled the magician to his feet, practically dragging him to where he used Ea, making Hayden face down his path of destruction.

"You mean like that?" Gilgamesh questioned.

"I-Impossible… an attack like that and it wasn't even damaged…!?" Hayden fell to his knees in disbelief. "That accursed sorcerer! What has he done to block such an onslaught…!"

"You said that this Accelerator was only one of two things necessary for this Aleister's plans? What was the other? If this man can create such beasts of power with ease, I shall crush his plots before he can craft more atrocities to further pollute my world." Gilgamesh crossed his arms.

"You… may not believe this but…" Hayden trailed off for a time before speaking again. "…It's another boy, but his abilities have nothing to do with this city it would seem… his name is Kamijou Touma."

Gilgamesh's eyes widened for a moment, before glancing down at the kneeling magician.

"Kamijou Touma? That boy who can negate magecraft and other supernatural phenomena with a simple movement of his right hand?" He asked.

"You… know him? Is he involved?" Hayden replied. Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed.

"I see… and how exactly do you know him then?" he asked.

"In the past… I worked under a man named Terra of the Left… he was studying his ability, Imagine Breaker, like a madman. In his death, I inherited his notes; it's how I came to know the speculation of Aleister's plans. Terra was convinced that Kamijou Touma was not using his right arm's full power… and he may have discovered why."

"Go on." Gilgamesh seemed eager to hear more.

"It focuses on a date last year; July 28th." Hayden continued. "On that night, a beam shot into space and destroyed a satellite in orbit. The very same night, Kamijou Touma was placed into intensive care at a hospital, so they seemed to be related."

"…I see." Gilgamesh closed his eyes. "And his affliction?"

"Memory destruction." Hayden replied. "I raided the medical records when I arrived to confirm, and it matched up perfectly… all the brain cells dedicated to his long-term memory in his mind were completely eradicated by… whatever caused that beam of light, it would seem. With a situation like that… his memories of his past life, including whatever knowledge he had about Imagine Breaker would be gone forever, with no chance to recover them…"

"Memory destruction…" Gilgamesh repeated as he opened his eyes. He thought on it for a time. He smirked. "Of course… of course! That is why! It would make sense, would it not?" Gilgamesh chuckled lightly.

"Excuse… me?" Hayden seemed confused.

"What other information do you have on him?" Gilgamesh asked simply.

"I… know everything that the God's Right Seat had on him, plus some recent events due to my own research… but what do you-" Hayden was interrupted when Gilgamesh suddenly pulled him up by his shirt collar, holding him in the air threateningly. Gilgamesh's smirk did not fade as he spoke once more.

"You have failed me twice now, ordinarily that would be an unforgivable act punishable by death… but you have one path to redemption! Tell me everything you know about the boy known as Kamijou Touma!"


	16. Progress at Last

**No real special notes here this time my friends.**

 **I hope you enjoy! Let me know how I'm doing!**

* * *

In the morning, the town was running wild with rumors.

For one, the destruction at the switchyard was getting some attention, but the real talk of the town was the demolished office buildings in district seven.

Most people would dismiss it as some kind of science experiment gone wrong, a series of explosions by terrorist organizations, or an all-out battle between the level 5 espers.

But those who were familiar with the events taking place recently knew far better than that.

"They only mentioned the destroyed buildings… they didn't say a thing about the street being riddled with craters and otherwise being blasted apart." Touma commented. A little Magic God took her place on the Imagine Breaker's right shoulder.

"A few smashed roads are common place for this city… but a few missing towers is a completely different story." Othinus spoke. "Though it does seem that they would be related I suppose."

"Well, a street smashed up like this is a sign that Accelerator was here… looks like someone decided to pick a fight with him. It's kind of weird that we didn't notice this last night… someone took steps to make sure we didn't find out." Touma added. Othinus nodded in agreement. No further clues available, the two decided to move on.

"The destruction is getting out of hand… is this really what a war between mortals is like? It's sickening." Othinus commented.

"I don't like it either… it's too bad we don't have many other leads to follow up on…" Touma rubbed his neck. "I want this to be over already."

"I doubt you'd be able to get the information… but local authorities or Anti-Skill might have something on it; with all the destruction around they must be investigating it to some degree." Othinus crossed her legs as she leaned over to gently rest her body on the side of Touma's head.

"Yeah… but like you said; it'd be hard to pull information from them…" Touma replied. "Would have to hack them… I might have to get Misaka involved after all if that's the case…"

"It sounds like your looking desperate over there, Imagine Breaker." A voice called out to them as they passed a large office building. Lancer was in his casual clothes, leaning against the building with his hands in his pockets, giving off the vibe he was trying to look cool.

"If you're calling me that, you've been hanging around Fiamma for too long." Touma commented.

"Forgive me; I just figured you'd like your title announced to the entire world." Lancer joked.

"Enough of that…" Touma replied. "I try to keep a low profile; I don't need a hype man."

"Where's the fun in that?" Lancer commented with a smile.

"I wouldn't listen to him; he got himself killed with an attitude like that, after all." Othinus recommended.

"Hey; enough of that you little… little…" Lancer trailed off. "…I remember you from that meeting yesterday; who are you and how'd you end up so small? Some kind of curse or something?"

"None of your business, you perverted spirit." Othinus replied. "Don't think I didn't notice you eyeing me up… you're into tiny women, I see."

"Hey hey HEY! Don't go making false accusations like that; as if I'd be into a curve-less woman who is just barely able to fit in the palm my hand!" Lancer shouted back.

"C-Curve-less!? I'll make you pay for insulting a Magic God!" Othinus shouted back, standing up.

"Lancer, Othinus, calm down please! We're in public! And Othinus; stop shouting and drawing attention to yourself!" Touma shouted, trying to break up the argument.

"…He started it." Othinus once more took a seat on Touma's shoulder.

"You did and you know it!" Lancer fired back.

"Enough! Damn, it feels like I'm directing small children, such misfortune!" Touma lamented. Othinus let out an annoyed huff and turned away from the two. Lancer clicked his teeth.

"You have a lot of weird friends in weird places, kid." Lancer stated.

"Don't get me started…" Touma scratched his head. "Anyway, what are you doing here, Lancer?"

"The boss is inside." Lancer pointed his thumb at the office building behind him. "Apparently some kind of big-wig operates here; from what it sounded like he intends to hold the guy up for information…" Lancer rubbed his head. "Seriously… Fiamma may look nice but he is a real piece of work."

"You don't know the half of it…" Touma rubbed his own head in response.

"So yeah; he's in there having fun, and I'm stuck out here on guard duty, just in case someone tries to stroll on up and stop him." Lancer finished. Suddenly he heard a loud crash and looked down the street. Someone had just jumped off a building and landed on their feet, shocking everyone. The person in question made a run for it, quickly approaching the three as he spoke.

"Finally, at last!" The person shout, revealing it to be Thor as he ran towards them. Lancer reflexively called Gáe Bolg to his hand. "Finally… I get my chance to fight… O… thin… us?" Thor's speech slowed down as he approached the group, sliding to a stop once he saw Othinus' shrunken form.

The two gods stared at each other for quite some time, not knowing of what to say to one another. Apparently, Othinus was the one who decided to break the silence.

"…Yo." Othinus waved at the lightning god across from her.

"D-don't treat this as a casual occurrence!" Thor shouted.

"It is fairly casual for me these days." Othinus responded, crossing her legs once more.

"W-what happened…!?" Thor asked. "First I hear that you died in Kamijou-chan's arms… then I hear that you're alive… and I track you down and you're the size of a child's doll…!?"

"Turns out the Turn into a Fairy spell is quite literal." Othinus shrugged her tiny shoulders as she spoke in a mocking tone, as she knew the true effects of the fairy spell and how she wound up so small. "Between this and dying to it, I think I got off fairly well."

"…Wait… so, when you said that fighting her was impossible…" Thor started, shifting his attention to Touma.

"This is what I meant…" Touma replied, scratching his head.

"…And here I thought you two were just smitten with one another, and distracted by sexual desires..." Thor commented, rubbing the side of his head. "I know it's hard to pull yourself away from your desired mate, so I just assumed…"

"…I'm sorry, what?" Othinus questioned, her face turning red as she processed what she just heard.

"…Question; how do you… actually… have relations with someone so small? Is she just… into that kind of stuff?" Lancer asked.

"T-that's not what has been going on!" Touma shouted, blushing red. "You're all jumping to conclusion after conclusion!" Othinus was strangely quiet for a time.

"…Kamijou Touma." Othinus slowly turned towards her partner, her face noticeably reddened. "…I-is… a magic god… not good enough… for you?" This time it was Touma who was silenced.

"…This got awkward… reeeeally quickly." Lancer commented.

"I know… I come all this way to Japan to fight a god and she's only fifteen centimeters tall…" Thor scratched his head.

"Not because of that, you battle-hungry jackass." Lancer stated. "This is your fault anyway."

"Guess so…" Thor shrugged, crossing his arms. "Though I figured that Academy City would have developed some kind of super growth hormone or something to restore her size at least though… that way she could fight me somewhat… or she could actually act on those romantic urges…" Othinus heard this, and slowly turned her tiny head towards the god of thunder; he may have imagined it but Thor could have sworn that he heard Othinus' neck creek as she did so.

"…Leave." She ordered, her face a bright red and very angry; one could practically see steam coming off of her.

"Fine… I suppose I might as well." Thor scratched his cheek lightly. "Suppose since the rule for the Grail War is no fighting in the middle of the day so we don't risk outsiders I don't have much reason to hang around… I guess I'll see you all tonight then!" Thor extended his Arc Blades from his feet to propel himself into the air onto a rooftop, and before everyone knew it, he was gone. Lucky, everyone around who witnessed the event seemed to write it off as the act of an esper.

"…So… em… Othinus…" Touma started. "Are we… going to… talk about that?" He asked, his face still blushing.

"…Do YOU want to talk about that?" Othinus replied, her face still red.

"R-right right… good point…" Touma rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment as Othinus looked away for the same reason.

"…Look, this situation isn't a problem I've had personally, which is why I asked about it earlier… but I have been around to more than a few places… and I've heard about a few situations with giants and fairies and what-not, so if size difference is really that much of an issue…" Lancer began.

"Shut up." Both Touma and Othinus spoke in unison.

"Of course, of course… my bad." Lancer rubbed his neck.

"…What exactly is going on out here?" The voice of Fiamma of the Right rang as he exited the office building, looking at the three standing close to the door.

"N-nothing! Nothing at all!" All three shouted in unison. Fiamma appeared confused for a moment.

"…In any case. Lancer; we're going." Fiamma announced.

"H-hey! Hold on!" Touma called out. "You're walking around in the middle of the day…? Isn't that dangerous for someone like you?"

"I just had a delightful conversation with one of the members of the Director's Board." Fiamma waved his one hand, dismissing the topic in a sense as pointless. "In the day like this; the ones who run this city cannot act without risking civilian lives… and even if they did, they know that there are only a few people in this world who can stand up to me." Fiamma then shrugged his shoulders. "Since we're here, what exactly are you doing out and about? Shouldn't you be in class or something?"

"Because of the two incidents last night, classes were canceled for student's safety." Touma replied. "So I was off checking out the one a few blocks up; a lot of buildings got destroyed… probably by someone's servant."

"Odd… this is the first I've heard of that; I'm only aware of the switch-yard." Fiamma finally turned around to address Touma properly.

"What happened at the switchyard?" Touma asked.

"We found the little Magic God problem. And the mysterious servant one too." Lancer spoke up. "The Magic God is big and strong and all, but the real problem rises with that Servant; if I had the guess he'd have to be that Grand Caster. The guy knows how to counteract and nullify magecraft just by being near it."

"…I see, so the Fairy spell won't work unless the Caster is dealt with." Touma replied, putting two and two together.

"More or less. If the Caster is eliminated, then Susanoo falls victim to a Fairy Stake and either dies or winds up like Othinus." Fiamma added.

"Don't bring that up." Othinus spoke.

"I see… so you were looking into trying to track them down again… or possibly getting some assistance since the two would be a threat to Academy City as well…" Touma thought out loud.

"Sadly… they didn't offer me either one." Fiamma replied. "…But, they did give me some information related to the one that started this whole mess."

"…You mean the one who started the Grail War?" Touma asked.

"More or less… apparently they've known about him for a while, and just haven't acted on it because of orders from the General Superintendent… it seems like Academy City officials actually wanted the Grail War to take place… though I have no idea why."

"Who is he then? Please, I have to know." Touma asked.

"…I was going to dispose of this nuisance myself, but I suppose his heroic spirit is more than a little bit of trouble… and it would free up time needed to track down Susanoo again…" Fiamma thought for a moment. "…His name is Hayden Avalon, and his heroic spirit is Gilgamesh, as I'm sure you're familiar with. He is currently operating out of a series of abandoned warehouses in district nineteen. Feel out for traces of mana and you'll find your mark without an issue, I'm sure."

"Alright, thank you!" Touma replied, taking off running as Othinus clung to his shoulder. "If you need help dealing with Susanoo, don't hesitate to ask!" Touma shouted back as he ran, eager to deliver this crucial information to his allies.

"…Are you sure telling him outright was a wise decision?" Lancer asked.

"It helps us out in the end, regardless of how he fares." Fiamma replied. "…Although, if anyone could put an end to this incident, it would be him anyway."

 **-District 19, 8:03 PM-**

Touma wasted no time making his way back to his apartment; being sure that his recent allies would be there as well. As soon as he could, he went into as much detail not only about the Magic God incident, but also what he learned about the magician behind everything up to this point.

With their new found information, they made their way to arrangement of warehouses under the cover of darkness.

"You can tell this place is run down…" Shirou commented. "Especially compared to the rest of the city."

"No kidding… this lot of warehouses looks more like a gang hideout than the base of a magician…" Touma scratched his head.

"Alright… we need to plan this out carefully… we have a lot of ground to cover and not much time to do it before the enemy notices we're here." Rin stated.

"There are seven of us." Assassin began. "All masters should stay with their servants. Index, Caster; you both are supportive in nature with Spell intercept, Healing, and Magical knowledge. You stay outside and between the groups; use your ability to sense mana to know where to respond; prioritize those you feel are in great danger."

"I understand." Index held her hands close to her chest, but looked determined.

"I'll provide support however I can." Caster nodded.

"Now… we need one team to search the exterior areas, and another to investigate the interior buildings. I'll leave your decisions as for who fills those rolls up to you." Assassin finished.

"Assassin; you work well in dark and hard to observe environments, right?" Shirou asked. He continued when Assassin nodded. "Then I think it's best if me and you check the interiors; I can head in and you can watch my back."

"Understood." Assassin replied.

"Saber and I are more than a little noisy with our abilities, so it probably is best if he check the exterior. The more wide open areas are a solid advantage for us if we were to be ambushed." Rin stated. Saber nodded in agreement.

"Then… what do I need to do?" Touma asked, noticing that he had been left out.

"That is up to you…" Assassin replied. "You can either join one of the groups of your choosing… or you can search the warehouses on your own to flush out our targets."

"Are you suggesting that he acts as bait…?" Saber questioned.

"It is his choice; I will not fault him for choosing otherwise. I fully understand the risks, considering that Gilgamesh is after him. But that's part of the reason why he would make a perfect decoy." Assassin answered.

"How is him putting his life on the line just to act as a lure a good thing!?" Index shouted.

"…The magus here who caused this; the chances of him being fully aware of his Imagine Breaker are low, so he can use that ability to throw off and possibly even defeat the magus outright with confusion as an asset." Assassin stated. "As for Gilgamesh… according to your descriptions, if he truly desires something, he tends to play around with it rather than directly attack, which makes him the least likely to be attacked fatally upon being seen, and gives us a chance to intervene."

"…So he has the highest survivability chance against them both, and may even be able to defeat the mage outright." Rin summarized.

"I still don't like it…" Shirou commented. "Even if he has the highest chance to survive against them both, we don't know what Gilgamesh wants-"

"How quickly do you think someone would be able to back me up if I did find either one?" Touma interrupted.

"You can't be serious…!" Shirou looked shocked.

"Even a novice magus would be able to notice a sudden spike in mana, and its sudden erasure; so if you met someone in combat we would know where you were with absolute certainty." Assassin replied. He reached onto his pants pocket and pulled out a flare gun. "Borrowed it from a police cruiser on the way here. Use it as a back-up signal." He tossed the flare gun towards Touma who caught it rather easily, eyeing the device for a short time.

"…Just in case of an emergency, got it." Touma replied, putting the flare gun into one his pants' pockets.

"Touma… you don't have to… you can stay with me and Caster! W-we might need you if we get into trouble ourselves! You never know what kind of traps a magician might plant around his workshop!" Index argued, trying to convince Touma otherwise.

"Sorry, Index… but this is the most efficient method, right?" Touma replied trying to calm Index down. "If… I can find this Hayden guy… my Imagine Breaker might be able to somehow negate whatever magic he used to start this war and end it, after all."

"…Come to think of it…" Rin put a hand to her chin in thought. "If Hayden really did use a spell to cause this… do you think he could have been turned into a lesser grail as a side effect?" She questioned.

"…Lesser Grail?" Touma asked in a confused tone.

"The Lesser Grail is what connects the Greater Grail, which holds all the power, to this world. In the event that a physical Lesser Grail does not exist, the magus with the most mana supply may be selected to become the Lesser Grail… and maybe be forcefully transformed when enough spirits energy is transferred into him or her…" Caster thought out loud. "Normally, in this case, that would be Fiamma of the Right without a doubt, but the conditions of the spell Hayden used may very well have altered the rules and made him the target instead."

"Could… Touma destroying the Lesser Grail with his Imagine Breaker get the desired effect of purification of the Grail…?" Shirou asked.

"I don't know… the corruption is linked to the Greater Grail, but if the connection is established…" Caster answered. "…Right now… either it will work, possibly even ending the war immediately, or it will fail with the same possible result…"

"What if it destroys the Lesser Grail currently being crafted, but the war doesn't end?" Saber asked.

"…Then the Greater Grail will appear in the night's sky and attempt to drown the world in its mud." Caster finished. "It would give us an absolute chance to use Imagine Breaker to purify it… but it would be dangerous…"

"…So it sounds like me making contact with Hayden is the best course of action either way regardless of the risk." Touma stated.

"Are you certain?" Saber asked. "This is above and beyond what's expected of you as someone who isn't a Master in this Grail War…"

"Yeah… I'll be fine. You can count on me." Touma replied. "I'm not the kind of person to pick a route to go on just for an easy way out; if this is the best way to end this conflict, I'm going to do it. The sooner this ends, the sooner everyone will be safe." He continued. Saber thought for a moment before smiling at him.

"You are either truly brave or truly senseless… and personally, I pray that it is the former." Saber stated. "Very well, simply make a signal if you are in trouble and we shall respond to support you however we can. Consider my blade as your own, Touma."

"Thanks… I appreciate it." Touma replied.

"How do we deal with either one if Touma or someone else finds them?" Rin asked.

"Everyone should converge on the one who finds a target." Assassin answered. He then drew his Thompson Contender, holding it up for a moment. He then opened up the back of the barrel and pulled out a bullet. "These two together make up my true Noble Phantasm, **Phantasm Punishment: Mystery Bisection.** Rather than being designed to fight other servants, my actual specialty is to track down and assassinate their masters." Assassin put the bullet back into the gun, loading it. "The bullets I fire from this take on my Origin of "Severing and Binding," upon contact with my target, which can cripple most living creatures… and it has a devastating effect on magic and the magus who cast it. They will pierce magic as if it wasn't even there, and if I can pierce the chest or stomach of a magus, if they happen to live, they will never be able to use magic ever again."

"Scary prospect…" Rin commented.

"And if the one they meet ends up being Gilgamesh…?" Saber asked. Almost on command a large rifle formed out of thin air in Assassin's other hand. Despite its size, he wielded it easily.

"Walther WA2000. Semi-automatic sniper rifle, silenced. Night-vision and electromagnetic thermal scopes, and its rounds can hit from well over one-thousand meters away, and is upgraded to a rank D Noble Phantasm class because of my **Weapons of War."** Assassin explained. "Long story short… ever seen a servant who doesn't have access to immortality survive without a head?"

"I see… so we distract the targets and wait for Assassin to deal with them from the shadows." Saber concluded. "I suppose we should begin?"

"If everyone is ready…" Touma rubbed the back of his neck. "I'll head half-way down and start my search from there. If things get bad, lets meet up at the gravel lot right here."

With that, the group split up with their designated roles and began their raid.

 **-35 minutes later-**

"Rin, did you find anything?" Index shouted. There had been an odd amount of time without any kind of conflict for such a risky situation.

"Hayden set up a bounded field… believe it or not, it was designed to keep people from leaving rather than keep them out; like a trap." Rin replied, rejoining Index and Caster with Saber close behind. "I managed to disable it… but it will only be a matter of time before they notice. Any changes?"

"No… no actions of the enemy have been taken yet… bounded field or not, Hayden very well may have abandoned this location for a different one." Index answered.

"Possible… but I doubt it… the area is rich with mana. It's like he enchanted the entire lot; way too much work to abandon, even for a trap." Rin replied.

"Wait…" Caster held out her hand, closing her eyes, as if trying to focus on something. "Mana surge rising; delayed spell... below us?"

Several magic seals seemed to appear one at a time rapidly across the gravel lot, expanding into the concrete portions of the area. The ground shook as earth erupted, taking in the pieces of metal and concrete as the seemed to form into monstrosities of earth. Varying wildly in size, ranging up from the size of an average man to true giants; one even seemed to take on one of the already searched warehouses as a body; using is concrete and steel supports like a suit of armor.

It was definitely a trap.

 **-Warehouse 3, Shirou's location-**

"Where the hell did these come from!?" Shirou shouted as blades appeared in his hands.

"Dolls of earth; taking on the materials of the pavement to arm themselves." Assassin replied, slowly backing up as he drew his SMG. Several sprouted out of the earth in the warehouse as well, taking the various abandoned supplies as weaponry and armor.

"Looks like all we can do is fight our way through!" Shirou shouted, jumping forward and cleaving through the golems with his twin blades. Several charged all around, attacking from all sides. He dealt with them easily with quick reflexes, as Assassin unloaded his SMG into the crowd; its enhanced strength ripping through several quickly.

But numbers were starting to become more and more of a problem.

"Damn, there's just no end to them!" Shirou shouted, jumping back after a moment.

"Emiya Shirou; your trace and projection… is it good enough to replicate an object's exact properties to the letter?" Assassin asked.

"It won't be perfect, but it will mimic the original easily." Shirou replied. Assassin broke down his SMG into mana, and seemed to convert it into a set of grenades, three in each hand. Shirou looked confused for a moment, but quickly picked up on the idea. Assassin broke down the pins, priming them as he readied to throw.

"Trace…on!" Shirou shouted, projecting matching versions of the bombs. They both threw them at the same time, scattering the explosives all across the enemy forces.

They all exploded simultaneously, destroying the earth golems and ending pieces of concrete, dirt, and steel all over the area.

"Whew!" Shirou breathed out once the spoke died down. "For chunks of dirt, the sure do light up really well, huh?" His confidence was short-lived as a much larger one formed beneath an abandoned forklift, expanding throughout the machinery and pulling it apart piece by piece, crafting it into his body.

But this wasn't the part that made Shirou worry.

What caught his concern was when Berserker suddenly appeared, tearing through the golem and ripping one of its steel parts off, corrupting it with his Noble Phantasm. The core of its body destroyed, the golem fell apart, collapsing into a pile of earth and metal.

"If… you're here…!" Shirou gritted his teeth as he looked up into the rafters. He saw Thor with an obvious smile, sitting on a railing holding up the roof, looking down upon the two.

"Not bad, not bad at all. And a nice show to boot!" Thor shouted down, jumping off and landing in the pile of dirt below, pulling himself out of it when he sunk into it after landing. "Thought it would have been more solid than that… huh."

"What are you doing here, Thor?!" Shirou shouted.

"Well… my main plan for being here ended up being a bust… and with me being part of this Grail War, I figured why not try to win? It's my one last loose end here now that fighting Othinus is impossible." Thor answered, putting his hands in his pockets.

"…Alright… I didn't want this to have to be, but we can't afford to be interrupted now; Assassin!" Shirou called out. On his word, Assassin drew his Thompson Contender and aimed at Thor. Berserker moved into Assassin's path to block, causing Assassin to click his teeth in frustration; his bullets may be powerful, especially against mages, but against a knight with reinforced steel armor it would be significantly less effective unless he hit the joints of the armor.

"Berserker," Thor called out. "Keep Mr. Assassin entertained." Thor ordered, as he began to walk forward. "I have business with this one…"

 **-Gravel Lot, Same Time-**

"I just felt traces of mana flare up, the warehouse over there!" Caster pointed at warehouse three after retracting her enchanted fibers.

"Isn't that where you said Shirou and Assassin went last?" Rin asked, firing off Gandr bullets like a machinegun into the crowd of golems, shredding through them. "Damn… there's just so many of these things.

"They are acting purely on automatic control; I can't hijack their actions with Spell Intercept unless a magician is directly controlling their movements!" Index shouted, trying her best to avoid being caught as the group was boxed in.

"We're being closed off… Saber; it might be time to use it!" Rin called out.

"Right!" Saber held her sword up high as Invisible Air dispersed, revealing Excalibur; mana started to flow into the blade. Before she could proceed farther however, a massive barrage of invisible attacks came from the sky, blasting apart a large number of the golems, giving them much more breathing room.

"It would be a shame to waste such a magnificent attack on a bunch of peons, wouldn't you agree, Saber!?" A loud booming voice came from above. The group looked up to see Rider in his full glory, riding in the sky. Not only that, it appeared that Archer was standing off on the side of Rider's Gordius Wheel, aiming and taking shots at the golems below.

"That's… the Rider?" Rin commented, this being her first time seeing him. "And Archer is there too… so that means…!"

"Ahoy, me mates, nya!" Tsuchimikado joined Archer, looking off the side of the chariot, waving casually.

"Knock it off with the pirate shtick!" Rin shouted up. "What are you guys doing here?"

"Would you be willing to believe we were just happening to head in the same direction?" Tsuchimikado asked.

"Not a chance!" Rin shouted back.

"Rin, be careful." Saber cautioned. "If Rider is here, so is his master."

"His master…?" Rin glanced at Saber before looking back up at Rider. A thin boy with white hair and red eyes seemed to of climbed up behind rider, currently resting one foot on the chariot with one hand on Rider's shoulder. "But… he's so small and frail looking…"

"Don't underestimate him" Saber warned, reminding Rin that she witnessed his power first hand.

"Hey… Rider," Accelerator called out. "That dimensional thing; how many more times can you pull it off?"

"Sadly, I only have the mana for one more left in me, even with taking your mana. Even though you don't need it, you have such a small supply that I could easily drain your vitality if I'm not careful. Just as unfortunate; the mana from those two last command seals wouldn't be enough either." Rider replied. Accelerator clicked his teeth.

"Fine; save it… guess I'll deal with it on my own." Accelerator said before suddenly jumping off the chariot, soaring downward. He looked to be on a crash course with the giant golem that complied an entire warehouse into its form. The two collided shortly after.

The giant wasn't just destroyed; the force supplied absolutely pulverized it in an instant. Shards of steel and clumps of dirt flew everywhere as Accelerator stepped out of the dust cloud; not even a speck of dirt on his body, as if it was simply rejecting the dirt's existence.

Several more golems tried to attack Accelerator, but each assault failed as the force they exerted was thrown back instantly, pulverizing each one.

"H-holy crap…! J-just by getting close to them!?" Rin choked up, overtaken by shock.

"That, I believe, is why they refer to him as the Number One Esper…" Saber commented. Slowly but surely Accelerator was making his way towards the group. At the same time, Rider landed, smashing through several of the golems on his decent.

"Seems like you all have truly started a war!" Rider commented, letting out a deep laugh. "Tell me; is this a private conquest? Or can anyone join in?"

"N-no! Of course not, have as much fun as you want!" Rin was taken off guard by Rider's joyous commentary. "But… you all… came out of nowhere… what are you all doing here?"

"Little bitch who runs this place attacked me last night… got a tip he was here, so I decided to ransack the place to find him." Accelerator replied.

'Touma said… that Fiamma only got the information from a Board Director, one of the people who help run the city…' Rin commented, quickly realizing that Accelerator must have payed one a visit prior to his arrival. She suddenly felt extremely sorry for the poor soul Accelerator had decided to hold up for information.

"Nya! And I'm here because Accelerator looked oh so lonely! And I owe him a favor or two, so I figured-" Tsuchimikado didn't get a chance to finish his sentence as a rock suddenly flew and struck him across the face, apparently being thrown by Accelerator. Saber looked at Archer, who simply shrugged in response.

It became very clear that Archer and his master did not get along; otherwise he could have easily stopped the sudden attack.

"Annoying bastard…" Accelerator spat.

"Seriously! You're worse than Kami-yan, nya!" Tsuchimikado shouted. He quickly ducked to dodge another stone.

"As sorry as I am to cut the merry-making short, we have a war to win, my comrades!" Rider shouted, drawing his sword. Suddenly, a white aura enveloped Rider, much to his confusion. "…My mana… is being restored?"

"Mine as well…?" Archer commented, being enveloped by the same aura. The source of this seemed to be Caster, as the aura seemed to be emanating from her.

"Absorbing the rich mana supply from the earth and these broken golems is easy for me… passing it on is just as simple as well. Consider it a gift for assisting us!" Caster replied. "I can do it for us all; don't worry about your supply; as long as the mana remains in the earth below, I can channel it into everyone."

"…Hey." Accelerator called out. "Where do you guys need to go?"

"That warehouse over there!" Index pointed. "Our friend Shirou is trapped in there, possibly stuck fighting these things too! If even just one of us can make it through it would be a huge help!"

"…Got it." Accelerator turned, slowly making his way in the direction Index pointed. "Woman; keep restoring Rider's mana. If you can do that, and I'll make a nice big opening for you!"

 **-Outside Warehouse 17, same time-**

It wasn't just the mana-infused people being assaulted; Touma was being hounded by golems as well.

"Crap crap crap! Why is it always me that is being chased around the place!? Such misfortune!" Touma shouted as he ran through the crowds of golems, bobbing and weaving all around; using his Imagine Breaker only when he had to in order to avoid capture. He saw a portion of a warehouse open, and used the opportunity to slip in and close the large shutter door behind him. He held the door shut, expecting resistance. However, not even a bang against the door rang. Touma let out a relieved sigh; he had managed to evade them.

He then began to look around, and noticed that unlike the other buildings he quickly ran through, the power was on.

"…Not going to lie, I was silently hoping I wouldn't find anything… such misfortune…" Touma scratched his head and started to explore. A maze of old wooden crates riddled the warehouse. They were all very large, but seemed to be empty; their goods taken out a long time ago. He ran his fingers cross a few, finding even metallic containers, as he wandered the storage maze. He eventually came across a clearing; it was full of furniture much too new for the dust-covered surroundings. He found a makeshift bed, some small metal storage containers; magically sealed. And finally, an elaborate red circle, currently covered by the variety of other pieces of junk riddling the area.

There was no mistake; he found the magician's workshop.

He reached for the circle with his right hand, but an eerie feeling suddenly caught his attention.

He was being watched.

A loud sound filled the quiet warehouse. Touma quickly turned his body and swung his right hand; it collided with a blade in mid-air, the sword crumbling into pieces after a shattering sound erupted and destroyed the blade. He heard clapping; an applause. He looked up at one of the higher stacks of crates to see a man, adorned in glorious golden armor, looking down upon him, seemingly clapping as his red eyes looked down upon Touma.

"You have done very well, I must admit." Gilgamesh spoke, a noticeable smile on his face. "A supposedly normal high-school student making his way in a war full of monsters without compare… even I must applaud your performance so far, Kamijou Touma." He cocked his head to the side, his eyes narrowing but his smile seemingly widening. "But I'm afraid… all good acts must come to an end."

With that, a large variety of golden rifts formed all around the King of Heroes, as a new battle between the strongest and the weakest began.


	17. The Almighty Thor

**And here we go!**

 **As a bit of a note: I made some alterations and changes to the previous chapter, it should feel a little bit more sound now.**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

One side stared down the other. Two opposing forces, one eager to end conflict, the other eager to prolong it.

Emiya Shirou, and his servant Assassin; his real name unknown.

The Almighty Thor, and his servant Berserker; the great knight Lancelot.

"Business with me, huh?" Shirou gritted his teeth. "What the hell do you want?"

"Don't be so stressed out." Thor rubbed the side of his head. "It's no fun if you're serious the whole time."

"Cut the crap!" Shirou shouted. "You know the severity of all of this, don't you? How can you just stand there and let all of this happen? You're strong, right!? You could have stepped in and helped us end this war a long time ago, yet here you are chasing people around just to fight them for fun?!"

"That's right," Thor replied. "I'm just here for my own selfish desires; I would have been here for that regardless of this grail war or not. But don't feed me that like you're suddenly so innocent. We're all selfish little sinners here. Arguing that you're the best because you've sinned the least and for the best intentions doesn't really matter right?"

"What do you even want with the grail, anyway?" Shirou questioned. "You're already really strong… you don't have any use for it, do you?"

"You're right again; am I that easy to read?" Thor replied. "Truth be told; I could care less about the wish granted by the holy grail. It would be better for me if I simply wasn't a master but… sometimes it's just the part you're told to play. Besides; I've been traveling alone for quite some time; the additional company is rather nice, even if he isn't very talkative."

"This isn't a party where you can just enjoy yourself at others expense!" Shirou shouted. "People die because of events like this!"

"Tell me, who has died since this war began that was an innocent bystander? Let me be clear: Not hurt; died. As in they no longer draw breath." Thor asked. "Better question; who have I killed since this started? You and your friends are still very much alive, are they not?" Thor cocked his head to the side, showing a frown of disappointment. "Seriously; my goal here is to fight, not kill. It dampens the experience for me if they die because then they will never be able to challenge me again. If I were to fight someone with all of my power, I would love it if they could come back even stronger and challenge me once more; don't make me out to being some kind of murderer because it makes your cause feel more just, Mr. Hero of Justice."

Shirou was silent for a time, unsure of how to respond. Thor eyed him for a moment before rubbing his neck.

"…Alright, I get it. You're not interested." Thor spoke. "Unfortunately, Mr. Lancelot has business with your girlfriend's servant; Saber, right? Seems those two have more than a little bit of past together, and he'd like to settle things once and for all. And I owe him one, so I can't exactly say no to him, you know? Let us pass, and we can end this little confrontation peacefully."

"Wait… did you have Berserker take down that golem to save us… just for that?" Shirou asked, appearing surprised.

"I did figure that it would make a little bit easier to negotiate." Thor commented.

"…No deal." Shirou stated. "I know how Berserker gets when Saber is around, you know!"

"I know; that worries me too… man, this sucks!" Thor commented. "The kind of fights I enjoy are the ones that we can go all out and have no regrets, but in this situation we both have something on the line… it's a real downer, but to help out Mr. Lancelot I don't have a choice…" Thor held the bridge of his nose in a disappointed fashion.

"We can't all have it our own way; I was just here to have a relaxing time with Tohsaka, and now here I am." Shirou replied. "Right now, I'm just worried about the people of this city; if someone gets ahold of the grail, people will die. But I don't think you'd know about anything like that."

"Oh… if only you knew!" Thor commented. He sighed lightly before speaking again. "I can't tell you the right one, you know? I can't tell you if my original goal was to save people to get power, or to get power to save people; it's all become a massive jumbled mess! It's sad really…" He held his face for a moment, and then threw his arm to his side before speaking again. "…But! That's the roll I've been given, right? All I can do is play the role I was designed by fate to play! In this game called life, all we can do is strive to our own goals and selfish desires, right?"

"…I'm sorry." Shirou replied. "I know you want to help out your servant, but I can't let Saber be hurt by you or anyone if there was a way for me to stop it."

"You're sounding like Kamijou-chan… maybe he's rubbing off on you and your heroic ideals more than you realize?" Thor joked.

"Yeah; maybe so." Shirou replied. "…I do have my own selfish ideals; I want to become a Hero of Justice. If I were to ever take the route where innocent people could get hurt, I wouldn't be able to live with myself!"

"We're both living selfish dreams that involve the lives others, whether we're protecting or fighting them, huh?" Thor commented. "Maybe we're not all that different after all." Thor took his hands out of his pockets. "What's your name?"

"You already know it, don't you?" Shirou asked.

"Yeah… but I don't really care about those second-hand sources." Thor replied. "I want to hear the official introduction from its source, my friend."

"…Friend, huh?" Shirou chuckled lightly. "You have a weird definition of friends." Shirou held out his hands as blue sparks erupted form the palms of his hands, turning into a set of blades, one white and the other black. "My name is Emiya Shirou!" He stood ready as if he was ready to fight. Thor smiled warmly.

"My own name has been lost to this brain of mine for quite a while." Thor replied. He held up his hands in a battle stand of his own, his Fusion Arc Blades forming from his fingertips. "People simply refer to me as the Lightning God, the Almighty Thor!" After he finished, a smile broke out once more before he spoke again.

"For what little its worth, regardless of what happens, it was nice to meet you, Emiya Shirou!"

Thor shot into the air in an instant, coming down on Shirou with his Arc Blades, slamming them into Shirou's dual swords. The forces slashed as sparks flew off from the point where the weapons clashed.

"Berserker! Make sure Assassin over there doesn't get involved! This is a duel between us!" Thor shouted.

Shirou shouted as he forced Thor back, his reinforcement enhancing his strength. He quickly turned offensive as he charged toward Thor, closing the distance rather quickly before unleashing a flurry of strikes.

Assassin narrowed his eyes as he watched the two fight. He quickly drew his Thompson Contender and took aim, but was interrupted by a loud screech overhead. Berserker seemed to interpret Thor's orders to keep Assassin out of the fight as an order to eliminate him. Assassin jumped back, dodging Berserker's strike, and started to run around the room, searching for a good vantage point. To him, fighting Berserker now would be a losing battle without his master to cover him, so taking out Thor was top priority. Berserker himself was right on Assassin however, quickly closing the distance between the two each time Assassin fled.

He had to conserve his mana as much as possible, and fighting a drawn out battle with a Berserker was not an option; not now anyway. Such a thing would have to be an absolute last resort.

Shirou and Thor continued to clash, Shirou's swords hammering away at Thor's Arc Blades. Thor suddenly canceled out his own blades and abruptly kicked Shirou in the stomach, launching him back. Thor then immediately threw his hands forward, launching his Arc Blades, extending towards the still reeling Shirou. He gritted his teeth as the attack approached him at a rapid pace.

"Damn it all… I have no choice huh…? To use his power?" Shirou's expression shifted to a smirk as he held out his hand. "He was me, after all… **Rho Aias!"** Seven pink flower petals made from light overlaying each other suddenly appeared in front of Shirou, the Arc Blades slamming into it and grinding off. The Arc Blades rebounded in various directions, also affecting Thor's hand positioning, as his formerly relaxed hands were now fully outstretched following his shifting blades; it was like the blades were just extensions of his fingers and deflecting them would cause his fingers to follow their path.

"Damn!" Thor cursed as he tried to forcefully close his hands to bring the Arc Blades together; they were unable to break through the sides of Rho Aias, however.

"Now's my chance!" Shirou projected a blade on his other hand; Thor seemed to recognize it vaguely as one of the many Gilgamesh fired at him. He slammed the sword into the ground and it promptly exploded and launched him into the air. Rho Aias vanished along with the remains of the shattered blade, and in that sword's place a black bow appeared. In the other, an arrow formed; it appeared to be a spiral that gradually grew bigger, until it hit a section that looked like a hilt. It looked more like a sword than a projectile weapon. "I can't afford to lose here; so I'll use his power to the best of my ability! **Caladbolg!"** Shirou loaded the spiral arrow into his bow and fired; the weapon shooting off like a rocket towards Thor.

The lightning god put up his arms across his body to block, as the arrow was moving far too fast to dodge. The arrow collided, but just before it did, Thor could clearly see an odd energy flowing out of the spiral of the arrow. It exploded on contact, filling the warehouse with energy.

Assassin braced as well as he could but was ultimately sent flying by the explosion, smashing through several wooden crates before coming to a stop as he grinded against the ground. Berserker was met with a similar fate, his body flying into an abandoned forklift, the force carrying both him and the metal construct all the way to the back of the warehouse. Assassin managed to pull himself to his feet, shaking off the damage from being thrown as he pulled himself out of the wreckage.

"…I have gotten stronger, haven't I?" Shirou commented, looking at his hands as the bow he projected disappeared. A few years ago, and there would have been no possible way for him to use a powerful weapon without exhausting himself for days, possibly even weeks due to the strain without an outside source of mana. But now; that attack definitely did drain him, but he was more than capable of standing on his own two feet and continue to fight if he so desired it. Shirou closed his hands tight as he looked forward, observing the results of his attack.

The smoke cleared up, revealing that his attack left a large crater in the middle of the room; Thor was not located inside. Instead, the explosion launched him backward; his body currently imbedded in the metal wall in the very back of the room; his arms still up as if he was still defending the attack. There were burns and cuts all over his body; not even his clothes were spared. The only part of his body seemingly unharmed was the unusual belt he wore.

"…Trace on." Shirou, surprised with Thor's survival, began to scan his body. Thor's belt was enchanted without a doubt; enhancing his already impressive strength and durability. "…So that's how he survived that… but still… there's no way he could still fight."

"That was… really good…!" Thor commented, lowering his arms to pull himself out of the wall. He was panting heavily, but despite his apparent exhaustion and the damage he sustained, Thor was still smiling. "You were really holding back during that time we first met… if you had power like that, I'm not the only one who could have ended this war…!"

"I don't like to use it, because it's a power that isn't mine." Shirou replied. "It's a last resort; I won't use it unless there is absolutely no other way I can win."

"Power that isn't yours… seems me and you are becoming more and more alike with every passing moment." Thor commented, standing up straight. "Setting up the defense against that was really exhausting… you know?"

"Stay down; you can't keep fighting like that or else you're going to die!" Shirou warned. Despite being in a position where the death of his opponent was a distinct possibility, if he could avoid it he would.

"Well, not necessarily." Thor commented, smiling at Shirou. "My true power also lies in the power of someone else… isn't that right… **Mjölnir!"** Thor shouted. A sudden rush of mana struck him like a bolt of lightning, his body surging with power. His eyes, hair, and even his fingertips began emitting a pale bluish-white light as mana erupted from his body. Thor began to move once more, as if he was still fresh. It was not to say his body suddenly recovered from his injuries however, but suddenly his exhaustion was erased and power ran through him, even more than before. It seemed the rise of power did not come from Thor's own body; but rather a distant location, confusing Shirou for a time before he dismissed the confusing topic, staring down Thor.

"…Alright, if that's how you want it!" Shirou shouted as the black and white blades once more formed in his hands. But in an instant, Thor appeared in front of him before he could even regain his battle stance. Thor smashed a fist into Shirou's stomach, causing him to cough up blood; Thor was much stronger than before.

"You have done really well, you know? In a straight up fight on your own, you beat the Lightning God Thor!" Thor himself announced. "Now let's see… how you handle the true Almighty Thor!" he then uppercut Shirou; the force of which was enough to launch him up into the ceiling.

"Shirou…!" Assassin shouted, forming his sniper rifle in his hands to quickly take down Thor. His gun was suddenly cut in half when Berserker shot up out of the ground below him, using a piece of the forklift as a sword and slicing the barrel off, forcing the shot to miss and hit the ground. Assassin dove to the side to avoid a follow up attack, leaving behind a set of grenades, which exploded and launched the black knight. Berserker would not stay down for long however, as he quickly regained his balance and resumed his pursuit of Assassin.

He mentally cursed; right now he was the only one who could take Thor down, Assassin thought. But every time he would try, Berserker would assault him violently.

He could only hope that Shirou could last out until the golden opportunity to strike presented itself.

"What… was that…!?" Shirou choked out when his body hit the ceiling. A mere second later Thor was suddenly beside him in the air, looking as if he was still standing, much to Shirou's horror. Thor clasped his hands together and slammed them down into Shirou's back, launching him back into the ground. Shirou once more coughed up blood in response to the impact, and shortly after Thor was beside him once more, kicking him with enough force to launch him like a rocket into a side of the crater that he created with Caladbolg.

"Too bad." Thor was suddenly standing next to him in the crater, one foot gently placed on his chest. "Looks like you were good, but not that good… it's a shame. You were doing so well." Shirou looked on with a surprised look, but gritted his teeth and formed a sword once more, attempting to strike Thor. He vanished in an instant, dodging the attack and appearing on Shirou's opposite side, kicking him in his left flank with enough force to launch him out of the crater and back onto the cement floor. Shirou heaved heavily; the heavy blows taking their toll on his body. Thor once more appeared next to him, this time stomping down with his foot, but Shirou managed to react and roll along the ground in the opposite direction to dodge, and then quickly climbed to his feet, still panting.

"How the hell… are you doing that!?" Shirou demanded. Thor smirked.

"I am the Almighty Thor; aligned under the Norse god of lightning himself." Thor explained. "My magic is that which has dominated the world. And since the world is mine, it will move itself and the people that walk on it to put me into a position in which I can easily strike or evade them. Even if you were able to suddenly escape to the opposite end of the world, I would appear right next to you to attack." He finished, popping his knuckles. "As long as you fight me on the world my magic rules, there can only be one victor!" Thor once more appeared in front of Shirou, punching him in the chest. Shirou coughed up blood in response, before being sent flying. Thor continued to assault him, as Shirou did his best to guard against the onslaught. His body was forced up against a wall, slamming into it hard. He gritted his teeth as he forced himself to stand, trying to think of something to bypass such a powerful spell.

An idea popped into his head. Thor's magic ruled, "This World," but didn't mention a single thing about his magic ruling, "The world where Thor's feet tread."

In other words; what if the location drastically changed to the point where this world was no longer the battlefield?

Shirou's next course of action was decided in that moment: if he could not defeat Thor in this world, he would drag him into another.

He would drag him into, "His," world.

The world that both he and the Heroic Spirit simply known as EMIYA held within their hearts.

Thor acted quickly; suddenly appearing above Shirou and slamming newly formed Fusion Arc Blades down on top of him. Shirou formed his black and white swords once more and deflected the strikes until Thor got in close to him, suddenly releasing his projections and reaching forward suddenly to grab Thor's arms as he was in mid-attack.

Thor was confused, not because he was suddenly grabbed, but because Shirou wasn't attacking him any longer; he was simply holding him in place by his arms to prevent his escape. Thor tried to resist but found it difficult, before suddenly noticing a belt suddenly appearing on Shirou's waist.

It matched his perfectly.

"So, you were able to make a copy of my Megingjörð, huh? Even able to apply its strength boosting properties… that's impressive. But it won't be enough if the best you can do is hold me down!" Thor commented. Shirou twisted his arms and moved his hands so he was now holding him by the wrists, with his fingers pointed outward away from Shirou's own limbs. He held Thor's arms out wide, and then spoke when he was confident enough in his safety.

"I am the bone of my sword." Shirou spoke. Thor's eyes widened as he felt a surge of mana coming from Shirou's body. "Steel is my body, and fire is my blood! I have created over a thousand blades… unaware of loss, nor aware of gain!"

"What… are you…!?" Thor asked in a confused tone. He could feel the mana being released increase with every sentence uttered. He had no idea what the spell was, but it was without a doubt some kind of chant for a spell. Shirou continued, suddenly interrupting Thor's thoughts.

"I have withstood pain to create many weapons, waiting for one's arrival. I have no regrets, for this is my only path. My whole life… was an **Unlimited Blade Works!"** With that, the mana erupted outward and shattered the ground below the duo, as light enveloped them both, and for a brief instance of time, both ceased to exist.

* * *

Thor realized the sudden change of location as a confused look covered his face. He looked around quickly to attempt to ease his mind, but only grew more confused.

He was no longer in the warehouse. In fact, he was no longer in a place that could be considered Academy City. Around him laid a barren wasteland of various hills and dirt; lights from the sky shone bright, but the sky itself was covered by countless clouds that expanded seemingly infinitely into the horizon in every direction.

The only other thing worthy of note; numerous blades of all shapes and sizes stuck out of the earth with their tips stuck into the ground. No matter which direction he looked, countless weaponry is all he could see. Both Assassin and Berserker were gone as well.

"Where… am I?" Thor mumbled out as he tried to figure out his surroundings.

"This world… is the definite answer obtained by someone whose life was saved by the sword, merged and lived with the sword, and then acted as the sword all of his life." Shirou suddenly answered, Thor finally noticing that a fair distance away he stood, blades all around him. "This world is not mine… yet, at the same time it is. The world the resides deep within the heart beating in my chest."

"…Reality Marble…?" Thor asked. Shirou did not respond, but Thor didn't need an answer. He chuckled lightly. "So… that was your plan…! Take me from my world and put me in yours… not bad! Not bad at all, Emiya Shirou! I have fought a great number of people… but not one has ever used such a spell on me!"

"This kind of thing is forbidden, if I recall correctly." Shirou commented.

"So I've heard… a power to overwrite reality with one of your own… a power that should only belong to a Magic God, somehow manifested in a mortal… its really powerful…" Thor commented. "No wonder they want to lock people up; the magic world has become rather afraid of gods as of late. Who knows; maybe you'll be the next Magic God to be born into this world, huh…?"

"I don't care about any of that." Shirou replied. "I could care less if this is forbidden or if its manifestation is a sign pointing to the possibility of godhood… Right now; all I'm worried about is the person right in front of me, and what he's going to be responsible for if I don't stop him."

"…You're not bad; you're not bad at all!" Thor commented as he swung his arm, generating his Fusion Arc Blades once more. Numerous blades shot out of the ground and intercepted the strike, forcefully deflecting it, much to Thor's surprise. Shirou looked up with determination in his eyes.

'I don't have much time…' Shirou thought. 'Firing Caladbolg took more out of me than I thought… I have… less than a minute!' Shirou suddenly rushed forward, the black and white blades, Kanshou and Bakuya, forming in his hands once more. Even if Thor could no longer move the world with a whim, he was still a powerful opponent.

He had to make every second count.

Thor jumped into the air and shot his Arc Blades down with an extension to their length. Shirou dodged at the same as another volley of manufactured blades slammed into them, forcing Thor off balance. Several more came at him from behind and sliced up his shoulders and flanks, forcing Thor to grit his teeth to with deal with the pain as the force of the assault knocked him downward. Blades rose form the ground from all sides, assaulting him from all directions and forcing the lightning god to go on the defensive.

He quickly dispatched all weaponry that was fired at him, but even he was caught off guard. Sometimes multiple attacks came from all sides, mirrored attacks one right after another, and even sudden strikes from the ground as swords erupted from beneath his feet.

Shirou took to the air, leaping sky high due to the reinforcement on his legs, and quickly began to descend down upon Thor has he fought to defend himself. Thor quickly fired his Arc Blades at Shirou, who responded by calling upon four other blades to strike at the same time on combination with him. The combined attacks forced Thor's fingers to go far in various directions with enough force that it broke each one of them. Shirou descended down quickly, feeling the effects of his exhaustion, and used the confusion of Thor's broken hand to strike.

Thor jumped back to dodge, but not far enough. Shirou landed and with a single mighty swing he slashed Thor's torso open from his right shoulder down to his left hip. Neither knew if the strike was deep enough to be fatal, but both knew this was the deciding blow the moment blood was drawn.

Thor's body grew limp as the blood loss from the countless assaults on his body finally took their toll on him. The Reality Marble began to crumble as Shirou's mana supply hit its absolute limit.

With that, the Hero of Justice felled the undefeatable Almighty Thor.

* * *

In an instant, Shirou and Thor reappeared in the warehouse. It did not appear that much time had passed as Berserker continued his chase of Assassin during their absence.

The two spirits could only see the results of the ending confrontation.

Shirou panted heavy as he just barely stood, exhausted and hurting due to his battle.

Thor was sprawled out on his back, the wounds from the numerous sword cuts, including the large gash that was caused by the final blow. Whether he was alive or dead was unknown.

Assassin did not fully understand what had happened or why, but he did understand the result.

Shirou had won.

Unfortunately, it would appear that Berserker understood this result as well, and promptly roared out. The darkness from his body suddenly all focused on his right hand. It formed into a long and dark purple blade. Assassin was immediately concerned as the darkness that was pouring from Berserker's body suddenly ceased when the blade was formed.

"Shirou, move!" Assassin shouted, making a run for him. Shirou heard the call, but due to his exhaustion his reactions were slow. Berserker lunged across the warehouse to attack. Shirou attempted to block the sword strike with his Kanshou and Bakuya, but the purple blade tore right through the projections and made a deep cut down the right side of his body.

A series of unknown and foreign emotions filled Assassin's body at that moment. His body practically convulsed in response as long lost sentiments suddenly flooded his body; feelings he had not felt in what felt like centuries. Berserker moved to strike Shirou again, and Assassin's body involuntarily reacted, forming his Walther WA2000 in one hand and firing every single round in the magazine. The first bullet deflected Berserker's sword, the second struck his head, shattering his armored helmet and revealing long purple hair, and the remaining rounds hit various parts of his armor, causing Berserker's body to jerk violently to each hit due to the force.

Assassin did not know why his body was doing this; if Shirou died it was little concern to him. He would simply return to the throne of heroes and as so many, and await his next calling.

But something in his mind and his heart called out, saying that he must save Shirou at absolutely all costs.

The sniper rifle's ammunition depleted quickly, but Assassin was already preparing his next attack. When the Walther WA2000 ran out, he broke it down into mana as he held up another, much larger rifle. Its model unknown, but its classification was obvious.

It was an anti-armor rifle, designed for taking down military armored targets and vehicles.

It fired only once, the round hitting Berserker in the chest as he turned to face Assassin. Berserker's enchanted armor stood up to the blast, but the force launched Berserker like a rocket into a pile of debris from the Caladbolg explosion, Berserker screeching the whole way before crashing into the pile and being buried.

Assassin broke down the anti-armor rifle to conserve and absorb its mana, and immediately ran to Shirou's side. He examined the cut, it was deep; not deep enough to be fatal, but in conjunction with Shirou's exhaustion it looked to be a bad combination. Shirou coughed up, a sudden rush of air leaving his lungs catching him off guard.

"Lay still, Shirou." Assassin ordered. "Don't worry about a thing… I can fix this for you… no problem, I just need some time, ok? Stay with me."

"I'm… fine…!" Shirou choked out. "Thor… may be down… but Berserker is a different story! If you worry about me you'll let your guard down…!"

"That's why I'm going to take care of you, ok!?" Assassin shouted. He racked his mind to try and think of an excuse for his actions to save face in front of his master, though he did not understand why he felt the need to. "…Have you forgotten? Our lives are linked. If you die, I die with you. It's only natural for me to try and save you."

"I… guess that's a good reason, huh…" Shirou commented.

"Just lie still; I have a little bit of first aid to stabilize your bleeding, then we can get you out of here." Assassin replied, as he began digging around in his cloak for various medical aid supplies. Shirou smiled a bit, the irony of an Assassin preforming first aid not lost on him.

"Do we… really have the time for that…?" Shirou asked.

"You don't get to argue with me; not right now." Assassin replied, preparing some medical bandages and some ointment, along with some alcohol to kill any signs of an infection. The last thing he took out was a syringe and some kind of liquid pain killer.

"You know… I just noticed something…" Shirou commented.

"Just be quiet, will you? I need to focus." Assassin replied as he prepared his equipment.

"Your eyes… they may be a different color but… call me crazy but they look just like someone I used to know…" Shirou stated. For some reason this statement caused Assassin to pause and slowly turn to look towards Shirou's face.

"...Who?" Assassin asked simply.

"…Someone I owe my life to… someone if I hadn't met I wouldn't be here right now… a real hero who saved me." Shirou smiled. "…My old man, you know?"

"Don't talk like that damn it, just be quiet!" Assassin went back to work, his first action sticking the syringe into the cap of the pain killer to withdraw some to inject. Once that was done, he could dress Shirou's wounds without concern for him suddenly jerking and causing more blood loss. He paused for a moment, slowly turning toward Shirou once more. "…Shirou?" Assassin tapped him on the shoulder lightly, then more aggressively. No response.

"…No… no no no, not now you son of a…!" Assassin held up the syringe with intent to inject the pain killer, but suddenly his normally steady hand began to switch and jerk widely, to the point that it caused him to drop it. He held his face as a sudden rush of pain suddenly filled every nerve of his body.

Something was hammering its way into his mind; foreign objects not known to him. The reaction on his body caused agony to spread through his body as his mind tried to process and adapt to what was being forcefully implanted.

Memories. Memories that did not belong to him. Everything seemed to be the same until the sight of a castle in a snow storm appeared. Then the image of a woman with white hair and red eyes appeared. Then, an image of planning; the fourth grail war. Memories of growing closer and falling for the woman who knew nothing about the world, despite her fate to die. An image of him holding a little girl, his daughter, was next. Then the events of the fourth war itself.

Getting a magician to force his servant to kill himself.

His subordinate dying in front of him.

A battle with a man named Kirei Kotomine.

Ordering Saber to destroy the Holy Grail, and the destruction that followed.

Saving and then adopting a young boy.

Emiya Shirou; his adoptive son.

These memories flooded his mind, conflicting with his own. He was not of this world or its reality, but it was like the world itself was invading his mind. He knew his own life inside and out; even after becoming a spirit, but the complete memories of another now stood alongside his own. The memories of another version of himself. The memories of this world's version of himself.

Emiya Kiritsugu.

"How… how could I have not noticed it before…!" Assassin spoke. "I thought… your name was just a coincidence… but it's so obvious now…!" He stated, tears welling up in his eyes as he stared at Shirou's unconscious form. "You're… my son…!" He silently cried as emotions he did not know he could still feel welled up inside of him. "I saved you… yet I… I couldn't protect you…!" For a moment, the holder of these foreign memories seemed to take hold of Assassin's body as it was lost in the tragic emotional reunion. "Please… please! Don't die… please live, if not for me then those who do care about you, damn it!" He fanatically resumed his attempt as first aid, quickly gathering his supplies once more, and shouting into the empty space around them.

"Please live! Shirou!"

The voice of Assassin echoed loudly through the room as he acted.

As he was about to attempt to inject Shirou once more, a warm light enveloped his body. He remembered this; healing magic. He could notice it very slightly, but the large wound down Shirou's body began to close, a bit only slightly. He felt a rush of energy within himself; his mana being restored from an outside force.

"Thank god… thank god I made it in time!" the voice of Caster rang through the warehouse as she ran to Assassin's side. Due to his hood and the angle, she could not see his eyes.

"…Caster." Assassin called out. "You're… the only one?"

"There is still a large number of those golem creatures outside… I was the only one who was able to make my way inside safely due to their numbers… oh god…!" Caster stated, kneeling down at Shirou's side next to Assassin.

The sounds of Berserker recovering from the shock of the round that hit him in the chest could be heard, as he began to rise out of the debris.

"…Caster, can you save him?" Assassin asked.

"I'm not sure… I think I can... It may look bad, but as long as I'm not disturbed, I think he will be ok… I just need time." Caster replied, beginning her healing process once more. Assassin eyed Caster for a moment, before suddenly smiling, not that she could see it.

Berserker burst from the debris with a loud roar of anger, he franticly looked around the room, his mad eyes clearly visible.

"…Then please do. Leave Berserker to me; I'll make the time you need." Assassin spoke. He moved to stand, but paused for a moment to whisper into Caster's ear. "Thank you… Iri."

Caster froze in place. Only one person had ever called her that. Caster slowly turned to face Assassin who was watching her. He pulled back his hood, which showed his white hair and undid several of the bandages around his face, fully unmasking himself.

Though his hair was white and his face was tan, the features where unmistakable. Caster moved to talk but Assassin put a single finger to her lip, and shook his head.

"Later." Assassin spoke softly. Caster nodded, understanding.

This was hardly the time for a reunion.

Assassin stood, drawing his two combat knives, and then stepped over Shirou's body. Berserker slowly approached with his sharpened teeth visible as he seethed with anger.

With both of their masters in such a critical condition, another war broke out.


	18. Sins of the Past

**Not much to say this time around, I Think.**

 **I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Assassin could not begin to understand the emotions that were running through his body as he charged toward Berserker. The memories of another still fresh in his mind; it was like the ghost of the old Emiya Kiritsugu of this realm possessed his body to do his will. Yet at the same time, he could not deny the sentiment he felt coursing through him.

Assassin and Kiritsugu were one and the same. Even if their memories and actions in the past were different, they were still very much the same person and lived the same life. The only difference was the routes they both took.

To reject this world's Kiritsugu would be to reject himself.

So as the foreign memories merged with his own, he felt that he knew what this world's Kiritsugu would do in this position.

Assassin decided that as long as he held that Kiritsugu's memories, he would act as that Kiritsugu. He would act as the medium between the mind of a long dead father and the world he wished he could see; the world that belonged to that boy he saved so long ago.

It was simply the only thing he felt like he could do for his counterpart in this world. He would be this world's Kiritsugu and save his adopted son, the son that he wanted to live more than anything, so that the spirit of himself could rest in peace.

Berserker roared and charged forward, slamming his sword down on top of Assassin when he grew close. He quickly dodged to the side, aiming to stab his knife into Berserkers arm, however the openings in the armor proved to be too small for him to accurately hit as Berserker violently turned to slash Assassin across the chest. Assassin jumped back, leaving behind a variety of live explosives as he dodged the attack; they detonated and blasted Berserker back, but it would seem that the best they could do was slow down and distract Berserker to give Assassin more breathing room.

Caster continued her healing magic on Shirou as she used her wires to move him further back in the room, away from the combat. Her heart was beating fast as she tried to process what was happening. She was overjoyed to reunite with her long lost husband, confused as to why he waited so long to reveal himself, and concerned that he suddenly threw himself in the frontline of combat once more.

She did not understand the situation surrounding Assassin, but she put that down quickly; her desire to support him however she could won out over reason.

Berserker continued to swing wildly, trying to attack Assassin with surprising skill for a Berserker, but Assassin was simply too nimble for him to catch in a straight up engagement. Assassin clicked his teeth in frustration as he attempted to find an opening to attack.

"Damn it all… to be able to move around this freely, that boy Thor must still be alive to supply him with mana…!" Assassin thought out loud. He eyed Thor for a moment, before his gaze drifted to Shirou being healed by Caster. He gritted his teeth as he dodged another swing, refocusing his gaze on Berserker.

His last resort technique is what his mind decided upon next.

" **Chronos Rose!"** Assassin shouted. Within that moment, everything around him seemed to slow down to a crawl as Berserker tried to attack once more. Assassin moved normally as he shifted out of the attack range and moved behind Berserker.

Chronos Rose was his last Noble Phantasm; the ability to speed up his own time to a large degree, making the world itself appear to be moving in slow motion. To outsiders, it would appear as if Assassin was simply moving quickly; only he knew the real effect. The technique had a rough penalty on his body, which is why he was hesitant to use it in earlier altercations as it could lead to his death, but this situation he felt like the negative effects were worth the results.

With the speed up effect making it immensely easy to act without worrying about a counter attack, he pulled out his Thompson Contender; his true Noble Phantasm, **Phantasm Punishment.** He aimed at Berserker's right shoulder and fired. The bullet seemed to pierce right through Berserker's enchanted armor like it was nothing, ripping through bone and muscle alike. He deactivated Chronos Rose after pulling the trigger to conserve mana, and saw the blood splatter as the bullet exited through the other side. Berserker howled in pain as his right arm suddenly didn't have the strength to hold his weapon, dropping it in the process. Berserker knelt down in reaction as he tried to deal with the damage to his body.

"That hurt, didn't it?" Assassin asked simply, not expecting an answer. "That sword strike on my master… I bet that hurt too…" Assassin formed a bullet out of his mana and loaded it into his Thompson Contender. "Get up… I'm not finished with you yet. Not until I've paid you back for that!"

Berserker gripped the blade with his left hand and suddenly turned around, slashing at Assassin. He quickly activated Chronos Rose again, speeding up his time as he moved out of the way. He took aim with his Thompson Contender once more, firing a round into Berserker's right leg. The bullet pierced armor once more and ripped through Berserker's right thigh, causing him to cry out in pain once more.

Blood started to leak from Assassin's mouth; Chronos Rose was starting to take its toll on his body. Despite that he activated it one more time, loading a bullet and shooting right through Berserker's left leg this time, attempt to restrict Berserker's movement. Assassin panted heavily; his body being damaged by multiple uses of Chronos Rose and his mana supply depleted by his repeated usage of his Noble Phantasm.

Before Assassin could react, Berserker suddenly turned, seemingly fighting through the pain of his injuries to attack once more, bringing his blade down in an attempt to slice Assassin in half. Assassin himself was exhausted by his numerous uses of abilities, and the attack was so sudden he didn't have time to react.

Strings suddenly wrapped all around various places of Berserker's body, causing him to halt in place as an outside force restrained him. Assassin looked off in the distance for their source.

Caster was holding out her hands, the white strings shooting off from various magic circles all around them. Her spell was the only thing stopping Berserker from brutally killing Assassin.

"Caster… you should be…!" Assassin spoke in surprise, expecting her to still be healing the unconscious Shirou in front of her.

"I know… you want me to heal him completely first but…" Caster bit her lip. "But… I've already lost you once…! When I became the grail… and it used my form to try to force you to act on its corrupted will…! I can't… I can't lose you again, Kiritsugu!" She shouted, looking up with a fierce look in her eyes. The strings pulled with more strength, as Berserker's body slid back slightly.

Assassin chuckled lightly, a smile forming on his face. He once more loaded his Thompson Contender and aimed it at Berserker's exposed head. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, and then shifted his gun and shot through Berserker's left shoulder instead, completely disabling Berserker's offensive options. His body grew limp in Caster's strings. Satisfied, she recalled them as Berserker fell to his knees.

"Oh god… no!" A voice shouted. Rin came running into the room, covered in dust and dirt from constant combat and ran over to Shirou's side. Saber came in shortly after, followed by Archer.

"Don't worry Tohsaka-san…" Caster said. "I've managed to help him through the worst of it… I am nowhere near finished, but he is far away from death's door…"

"A-Are you sure…?" Rin choked out. With a nod she hastily hugged the injured man into her arms. "Thank god… thank god he's alive…!" Tears softly left his eyes as she held Shirou close.

"What happened outside?" Caster asked.

"…The golems have stopped reproducing themselves, and many of them have stopped moving altogether… it would appear that something has happened to their creator." Archer spoke up. "Hearing that combat was still active in here, we decided to split off; part of us decided to look into destroying the remaining golems that were still active, and the other half decided to come inside to offer support… but it would seem that the fighting is over." Caster looked up. Saber had a look of shock on her face, staring at Assassin and Berserker.

"There's… no way…!" Saber's look of surprise shifted to anger as she called her sword to her hand. She watched as Assassin reloaded his gun and took aim at Berserker's head, intent on finishing him off. Berserker looked up; an odd clarity in his eyes as he looked at Assassin. It would appear that the compound effects of Assassin's Noble Phantasm had at least somewhat disabled the Mad Enhancement.

"I… hurt your master… did I not..?" Berserker asked, finally able to speak clearly.

"You did." Assassin answered. Berserker closed his eyes.

"I… only wished… to protect my own as well." Berserker stated. "He was… kind to me… he treated me like an equal…" Assassin remained silent. "It would seem… that as a man, spirit, or servant, I cannot protect anything with these hands of mine…" Berserker leaned forward into the barrel of Assassin's Thompson Contender. "Kill me. End this now before I cause you more harm."

"Lancelot!" Saber shouted. Assassin eyed Berserker for a moment, before looking around, scanning the room. Saber herself looked like she was ready to strike, Archer looked on silently, and Rin and Caster tended to Shirou's wounds. Assassin closed his eyes before refocusing them in Berserker who knelt unwillingly at his feet.

In a single motion, he threw his Thompson Contender across the floor, skidding across the ground and coming to a stop close to Shirou. He then looked at Berserker with a serious look.

"You're not a threat anymore." Assassin stated. The two stared at each other for a time before Assassin walked away. Berserker watched as his opponent wearily made his way over to a wall and leaned his back against it, slowly drifting down to a sitting position as his exhaustion finally caught up with him.

"Lancelot…!" Saber ran to Berserker's side, kneeling down next to him as she gently laid him on his back.

"M-my… king?" Berserker questioned in a confused tone.

"Don't worry Lancelot… your master is alive; I can feel it. Everything will be fine… even wounds like this should be easy to heal with Caster's magic!" Saber stated.

"…Artoria Pendragon." Berserker called out. "After… all of this… the events of the fourth war, the battles here, on top of what has happened in ages past… can you still not find it within yourself to pass judgement upon me...?" This question caused Saber to freeze in place as he looked Lancelot in the eye.

"…He desires punishment for his past sins, my king." Archer walked up behind Saber. "He desires to be reprimanded for the sins he committed in life… can you truly not understand such?"

"It's… not that don't understand…" Saber replied, his expression turning to sadness as she remembered the events of her past life. She gritted her teeth in frustration.

"…Hey, Mr. Lancelot." A voice called out, revealing it to be Thor. He did not move, and only spoke. "Are you saying that being paired up with a battle maniac like me isn't punishment enough? Depending on who you talk to, some people would say being with me is a divine punishment that not even the gods would wish upon demons from hell."

This statement seemed to earn a small chuckle from the downed black knight.

"Of course not…" Berserker replied. "You… were a good master. You kept me in line, and knew when it was time to retreat when my mind was clouded. You treated me as a man, not a servant, despite my past… how could I consider being with such a person as a punishment…?"

"Thanks for the boost to my ego." Thor commented. "…I think it might be time to let the past go. Even if you are punished it would not change what is already set in stone. Instead of wandering the afterlife seeking pain and suffering for what you have done, seek atonement for your actions, Mr. Lancelot. Make up for your sins with labor for the person you have wronged."

"You… may be right… but…" Berserker commented.

"You tried to do that once, did you not?" Thor commented. "Someone stopped you… someone prevented you from serving your king, did he not? I dare that such a person does not exist in this time, if you understand my meaning…"

Berserker was silent for a time.

"Lancelot… I cannot pass judgement upon you." Saber announced. "It is not that I cannot understand your request or your reasons for such, nor is it that I misunderstand my duty as a king. I just… I cannot bring myself to think of you as anything other than my friend, and to punish you would betray that image in my mind. The events that lead to your betrayal, and the battle that ended our era, and even Tristian's departure from the royal court… all of these are responsibilities worn by me and me alone. I cannot condemn a man for actions taken that are only a result of my own sins."

"My king…!" Archer spoke in a surprised tone.

"I cannot punish you… because the one who truly deserves a punishment is me. And for that, I am deeply sorry." Saber stated.

"…My king…" Berserker spoke once more. "…I have never wanted more than to help lift the weight of your kingship that stood on your shoulders… to assist you in however I could."

"And you have done well, Lancelot." Saber replied. "You did much more to help ease my mind than you truly can ever know. Even now… I cannot imagine our kingdom without you at my side..."

"…I know what I must do." Berserker then slowly leaned upward, attempting to get up. Saber tried to push him back down, but was pulled back by Archer. Berserker shifted so he was in a kneeling stance, one arm across his chest and the other formed into a fist and pressing into the ground, facing Saber.

"…Lancelot…!" Saber said in shock.

"…King Artoria Pendragon!" Berserker shouted. "I, the Knight of the Lake, Sir Lancelot, have committed offenses against your kingdom, including adultery with your queen and murder of your men! These are my crimes against you, for which I am guilty!"

Saber was unable to respond as grief and shock overcame her.

"For these crimes, there does not exist a punishment great enough to justify my actions. And for that, I only make a humble request." Lancelot gritted his teeth. "Please; allow this lowly man to serve for his crimes! I shall not object to whatever demand that you make of me! Allow me to atone for my sins with labors of my body and mind; I shall not be considered a free man until you have judged that my debt to your kingdom has been repaid!"

Saber's expression finally shifted. She closed her eyes and stood, appearing serious. She called Excalibur to her hand once more, and lifted it up. Invisible Air vanished, revealing the golden blade. She flipped it so that the blade was aimed downward, and promptly drove it into the ground, before speaking.

"Very well!" Saber announced. "Sir Lancelot, for your crimes, you will not only serve me, but serve all those who pledge themselves to my service! You will work endlessly to pay off your debt in my name, and only I shall say when your debt is repaid! And now, until the end of time, further acts of treason against me or my kingdom will be punished with death! That is my word, do you understand!?"

"Yes, my king!" Lancelot shouted proudly. "I will serve thy king, even if it takes until the end of days!"

"As will I; you are my king now and forever, and I humbly pledge myself to you once more." Archer knelt down before Saber, bowing in turn.

"Then it is decided!" Saber announced. She looked stern, but eventually her features softened to a smile. The knights around her returned this gesture with one of their own. The three reveled in each other's company, allied together once more.

Shirou still laid unconscious as Caster finished her healing.

"There… it might be some time before he regains consciousness… but he should be fine when he awakens…" Caster stated. Rin let out a sigh of relief.

"Thank god… fighting those two really did a number on him, huh?" Rin commented, looking at the still downed Thor and Berserker as he made peace with his fellow knights while he was still sane. "I guess if everything is all square now… I suppose there is some more healing to do of a different nature, huh…"

"…Just a moment. I need some time." Caster replied, standing up. She walked over to the resting Assassin. He looked up to see Caster smiling down at him; he returned the gesture. She promptly took a seat next to Assassin, the two not exchanging words for quite some time.

"…Kiritsugu." Caster broke the silence. "How… long were you intent on keeping your identity a secret?"

"That's… a difficult question…" Assassin replied. "When I first heard Shirou's full name, I was convinced it must be a coincidence. I figured that keeping my name hidden would be best to prevent confusion but… that was long before what happened here tonight."

"I see… so you were hiding it to make things easier for us…?" Caster questioned.

"Not… exactly…" Assassin rubbed his neck, trying to think of how to explain his situation. "I'm… not your Kiritsugu… but at the same time I am." Caster gave a confused glance over to Assassin before he continued. "Before tonight… I had memories of my own world; my own timeline… where I never met you or got involved with the Holy Grail War. But… something has been going off in the back of my mind. It's been slow, but it finally all pieced itself together tonight; memories from my other self that lived in this world."

"What do you mean…?" Caster asked. Assassin signed as he scratched his head.

"My name is indeed Emiya Kiritsugu… but I am not the Emiya Kiritsugu you fell in love with." Assassin stated. "But right now… his memories, his actions… they are all so vivid in my mind… it's like I just lived my life all over again, so I might as well be your Kiritsugu… it's difficult to explain." He tilted his head back. "We're both two different versions of each other… but right now, we might as well be one in the same. Sorry if it's difficult to understand…"

"…So, you remember the first time we met?" Caster asked.

"Of course." Assassin replied.

"And you remember teaching me about the world?"

"I even got my hands on a car for you to drive when you first learned about them." Assassin chuckled lightly. Caster's look turned devious.

"And… you remember the night where we conceived our first child?"

"…You've been hanging around those two love birds for too long." Assassin crossed his arms and looked away. Caster giggled.

"I'm sorry… I fully remember the method we used for conception… I just had to be sure." Caster said. Assassin didn't look back until Caster abruptly rested her head on his shoulder. When he looked, Caster wrapped one of her arms around him lovingly. "I've missed you…"

"…He…" Assassin paused, not sure how to convey his message. "…I missed you too, Iri." He leaned his on head to rest on hers as the two shared the moment together.

Their peace was interrupted when someone else approached the two.

"…When you first hear that your dad is here, in a position like mine you tend not to believe them." Shirou stood over the two. He had regained consciousness and spoke with Saber upon recognizing Assassin without his hood and bandages. Saber seemed to be standing just a small distance behind him.

"…And you'd have every right not to believe them." Assassin replied. Shirou smiled down at Assassin.

"I recall you telling me a few things… so you are the child Kiritsugu adopted after the fourth war after all." Caster commented. "I heard your full name and thought such… but I decided to keep to myself to prevent causing a scene…"

"Y-yeah… I am… you didn't have to worry about it; I would have been fine…" Shirou scratched his cheek. "You must be… well, his wife, right? He never talked much about his life prior to meeting me… probably because of what happened during the fourth war…"

"You would be correct, Emiya-kun" Caster replied. "…So does that mean I'm indirectly the mother of two children?"

"…I guess so…" Shirou rubbed his neck and looked away, unsure of what to say.

"It is a shame that we couldn't all meet again..." Caster replied. This only seemed to make Shirou more conflicted and depressed, but Caster suddenly perked up with a smile. "…But this does mean I get to meet my long-lost son!"

"Y-yeah!" Shirou smiled. "I guess we have a lot to talk about, don't we... em… mom?" Shirou spoke in a confused tone. Caster giggled in response and motioned him to come closer. When he moved close she pulled him down to a sitting position next to her and tenderly wrapped her arm around Shirou's neck, pulling him into a hug. Shirou seemed nervous at first, but softened up eventually as Caster ran her fingers through his air affectionately.

After a short time, Saber spoke up.

"Kiritsugu." She called out. Assassin shifted his gaze over to the female king who approached. The faces of both parties turned serious, remembering the events of the fourth war. Saber narrowed her eyes as she walked toward Assassin. She stopped in front of him; Assassin didn't try to escape. Caster seemed ready to cast a spell, but stopped when she noticed something in Saber's hand.

Assassin's Thompson Contender.

"You dropped this." Saber knelt down and handed the gun back to its rightful owner. Assassin took it back slowly, examining it lightly. Saber then turned around and walked away, seemingly to check on her own master.

That's all that needed to be done for him to understand, Saber thought.

After the events of the fourth war, they could never truly sort things out between the two.

But the least they could do is put the past behind them for the greater good.

There was a greater task at hand now that the battle here was over, because another appeared to be ending as well.

At least that's what they thought when they felt a sudden surge of mana that shook the ground around them from a different building, just a few warehouses down.

It did not seem like it, but this Illegal Grail War was finally starting to come to an end.


	19. The King of Heroes

**Alright, so there is some somewhat controversial stuff in there that some people will understand and others wont, at least not entirely, and it has to do with my interpretation of why Touma does what he does.**

 **As said, some will understand, other's wont; all I can hope for is those who don't quite get what im going for here will be willing to see to the end-note to allow me to explain myself.**

 **So, i hope you enjoy, and I'll see you all at the bottom!**

* * *

Touma darted around a set of crates, narrowly dodging a barrage of swords fired off at him. He heard the slow metallic footsteps of a man in armor, and quickly began to run once again as another barrage ripped through his hiding spot easily.

Gilgamesh moved slowly, a smirk on his face, as he hunted down his prey.

One last little game before our grand finale, he thought.

"Why do you run, Kamijou Touma? Are you not the great hero who has come to stop the tyrannical villain?" Gilgamesh called out mockingly.

"Not a chance; I'm just an average every day high school student!" Touma shouted back. He quickly ran once more as more weapons fired off, destroying his hiding place once more. "What about you? Couldn't you just destroy all of these crates and end this encounter!?"

"Of course… but then I wouldn't get to see you trip over your own feat as you feverously try to discover a way to survive like the mongrel you are!" Gilgamesh replied, firing another volley of magical artifacts, destroying more of the surroundings.

'You've got to be kidding me!' Touma thought as he ran. 'The guy stalks me up and down the city, then just tries to kill me!? Such misfortune!'

"You'd best keep this interesting, Kamijou Touma! I might just get bored and reduce this entire building to a pile of rubble!" Gilgamesh shouted. His hand and reached up and grabbed thrown object, catching it and crushing it in his hand. Dusting himself off, he made his way in the direction of the projectile as he resumed his hunt.

He kept his slow place, enjoying every attempt Touma made to distract him. He was getting more resourceful the longer it went on.

Escape not being an option with how loud the shutter door would be to open, all Touma could do was run and try to use the environment. He managed to find a decent foothold to climb up the abandoned crates, finding a stack to hide behind.

Gilgamesh continued his game, but he was starting to grow weary it. He paused for a moment and opened up golden rifts all around him, intent on destroying all of the possible hiding spots. A rumble came from above as a stack started to tumble, falling on top of him. He called out his Enkidu Chains and ripped them apart shortly after noticing, but was surprised to see Touma falling through the debris; he seemed to jump down after pushing the wooden crates over.

Gilgamesh recalled Enkidu, not wishing to risk its destruction at the hands of Touma's Imagine Breaker. He turned his weapons to open fire, but it was too late as Touma was able to get close enough to throw a punch; it just barely missed as Gilgamesh sidestepped the attack. The sudden assault seemed to force Gilgamesh to recall his weapons as Touma was quick to land and turn to attack once more.

Gilgamesh moved to either dodge or block the attacks; it quickly became apparent that Touma was very skilled at hand to hand combat, much more so than others he had faced recently. Were they men of equal level, Touma might be able to keep up, possibly even defeat Gilgamesh if the stars were in his favor.

But that was not the case. Touma was a high school boy, and Gilgamesh was a demi-god. In a physical confrontation, the winner was obvious.

Gilgamesh dodged one of Touma's punches and promptly slammed a fist into his stomach. He then kicked Touma in the chest, his superior strength launching the unlucky Kamijou Flying into one of the wooden crates, demolishing it in the process. Gilgamesh fired a series of weapons; Touma was able to dodge several as he rose to his feet, but was cut on parts of his shoulders and legs. One that seemed to be aimed for his heart was easily destroyed by Touma's Imagine Breaker. Gilgamesh smirked once more.

"Still insisting on the notion of defeating me?" he questioned.

"If you expect me to just stand around and let the world end because of some golden cup, then I'll shatter that illusion of yours." Touma replied.

"Shatter my illusions, huh?" Gilgamesh cocked his head to the side. "…It seems you like to do that. Shattering the illusions people wrap around themselves to justify their actions… but it looks like the only one you can't seem to break is the one you wrapped around yourself, am I right?"

"…What are you talking about…?" Touma asked, confused.

Gilgamesh' response was to open a large number of golden rifts, each one aimed a different direction, and fire off a barrage of artifacts in all directions, demolishing all of the remaining crates, and over objects in the area. Explosions from various weapons scattered the debris, throwing them against the walls of the warehouse. Aside from a few blades that quickly faded into golden dust and a number of holes from the explosions, the floor was now completely clear.

The odd thing that Touma quickly noticed; not a single one of the weapons were fired at him. He looked around with a confused expression.

"I've grown tired of the game… so I decided to clear the board." Gilgamesh stated simply.

"What the hell is all of this about!?" Touma shouted. "What…what do you want with me-"

"Last year, July 28th." Gilgamesh interrupted. Touma froze the moment he heard that date. "One boy was admitted to a hospital, and diagnosed with the condition simply known as, "Memory Destruction," where every brain cell pertaining to his long term memory was completely and totally annihilated. This boy could no longer remember who he was, what he was doing to cause such a condition, and could not recall anything about his past life. All memory of every single moment leading up to the event of him regaining consciousness was completely and irreversibly deleted."

Touma involuntarily took a step back as Gilgamesh spoke.

"…One might say that the boy named Kamijou Touma died that night, wouldn't you agree?" Gilgamesh smirked, cocking his head to the side.

"H-how… do you know about that…!?" Touma stuttered out.

"Medical records are easy to procure in this day and age." Gilgamesh answered. "So, I suppose I should ask how living the life of a dead man has been turning out. Has it been everything you hoped it would be? Or have there been some… complications?"

"Shut up!" Touma shouted. "That has nothing to do with this!"

"Oh, but it very much does, I assure you." Gilgamesh began to walk towards Touma. "I was there watching that night; not the one where you lost what made you human, no. I am referring to your first meeting with that group; the Faker, the Girl, the Assassin, and the King. I saw you stop the King's most powerful attack, much to her own shock I am sure. Upon seeing that, I absolutely had to learn how you did it, but I found a much more elaborate puzzle in its place."

Touma watched as Gilgamesh walked past him as he spoke. Touma suddenly lunged with a punch but Gilgamesh was ready, dodging and grabbing his forearm, and then kicking Touma in the stomach, sending him rolling cross the ground with the force. Touma coughed up blood but Gilgamesh continued on as if nothing had happened.

"When I met with you, I could feel it; subtle tones and wordings that naturally put you on the defensive whenever you spoke; like you were trying to hide something. It was insignificant to most, I am sure, but it left me thinking about what you could possibly be hiding that was so important… but we both now know the answer to that question." He turned to face Touma once more as he slowly got to his feet.

"What… the hell does that have to do with anything…?" Touma replied.

"It is the reason why I have spared your life until now; the puzzle was gnawing at the back of my mind, like the answer was close and I simply needed to reach forward and grasp it… and so I did." Gilgamesh answered. "You must have been frightened; an entire world out there that you knew nothing about, old companions suddenly becoming strangers… I'm sure it must have been devastating for you to learn when someone who loved you greeted you that all you could do was ask who they were and what they meant to you."

"Go to hell!" Touma ran forward, charging towards Gilgamesh with a chambered fist. Gilgamesh smirked as an Enkidu chain burst forth from a rift behind Touma, wrapping around his leg and spinning him around before unleashing him into the air. His body slammed into a wall of the warehouse, and Gilgamesh once more made his way over to him.

"It must have been so devastating… that you covered it up. Instead of pushing forward, you hopelessly clung to the identity of a man long since dead. You did everything you could to be that person, act like that person, eat like that person… and by some miracle you succeeded into fooling everyone around you. You kept the illusion that Kamijou Touma was still alive with determination alone… and even I must admit that is an impressive feat. In the world of Fakers, one could crown you king; one who lied so well that his entire life became a fabrication to the entire world, even fooling the gods themselves. And for that, I must applaud you; not even I could accomplish such a deed."

"What… do you want with me…?" Touma struggled to speak, a combination of pain and emotional turmoil slowing his speech as Gilgamesh picked him apart piece by piece.

"I want to see the real you, live and in the flesh!" Gilgamesh announced proudly. "Not the version that is already dead; the personality you've buried deep within! The new Kamijou Touma that the world has never seen! I desire to be the sole viewer of such a prize before the end of your life!"

"…That's really encouraging…you make it sound like even if I do, you're going to kill me anyway." Touma replied.

"That is the inevitable end result of this confrontation." Gilgamesh replied. "Wouldn't you like to cut loose one last time before you perish, once and for all? This is the one chance you will have."

Touma remained silent for a time contemplating. Gilgamesh waited patiently; he had quested for this for so long, a few minutes more was a small price to pay.

"…Sorry to disappoint you, but it's really not all that different." Touma replied. Gilgamesh seemed to perk up once Touma began speaking. "You called me a hero before, isn't that right? That's the real lie here; you couldn't be more wrong about that."

"Oh? I beg to differ." Gilgamesh replied. "You stopped an alchemist, ended murderous experiments, stopped numerous invasions of this city, took special participation in warring churches to end the violence, and willingly fought in World War 3, saving that girl you travel with in the process. You even stood up to an almighty Magic God who tried to destroy the world, and somehow came on top… why exactly should these feats excuse you form the title of a hero?"

"Because I only did all of those things because I wanted to." Touma replied. "I don't need a reason to save someone; I wanted to save those people, so I did. I wanted to stop the fighting, so I did. This whole time I've been fighting for myself. Sure, I helped some people along the way, and I will happily agree with that, but that doesn't change my reasons for getting involved at all."

"And those reasons are…?" Gilgamesh asked.

"I couldn't stand it!" Touma replied. "The sadness in their eyes; the things people would do to each other just because they were angry or couldn't understand their differences, I couldn't stand it a single bit! It made me sick! So I fought and nearly died for those people to end their sadness and to stop the violence for myself. There are things I take a strong offence to, that makes me frustrated, sad, and angry; I couldn't stand any of it!"

Touma paused a moment before he continued.

"I couldn't stand it… I couldn't bare it." He spoke. "When I first saw Index that morning… I saw the tears that welled up in her eyes… I couldn't stand it. So I lied, made something up so that she could stop crying for me; stop pitying me… so she could move on in hopes that I could too. I lied to everyone and I fought for everyone in hopes that I would never have to see people cry for me or anyone else ever again… and even though I wanted that so badly… I threw away a perfect world, where everyone could be happy."

"Perfect world…?" Gilgamesh cocked his head to the side, intrigued by the statement.

"A perfect world Othinus created when she was a complete Magic God." Touma answered. "There was no war, no violence, not sadness. Even the dead were brought back to life; a world where everyone around me could be happy… and I threw it all away."

"That world seemed to be the entirety of your short life's dream; why did you reject it?" Gilgamesh questioned. Touma hesitated, biting his lip in the process.

"…Because I wouldn't be able to exist in it." Touma replied. "I couldn't exist in it; if I did I would destroy it. I would become the cause of the sadness, suffering, and violence I despise so much… to protect that perfect world I would have to die. She beat me; she beat me completely and totally. Not only could she save everyone, but she could keep the world like that indefinitely; she could even revive their loved ones from the dead. I tried to look aside everything and bite the bullet for everyone… but when I met something from the old world and spoke with me about it all… I let everything out. I couldn't… stand it! I tried so hard to do what she had done with a wave of her hand! She erased everything I had done as I drove forward for my own ideals!" Touma squeezed his fists tight before shouting.

"I couldn't stand the fact that I would have to end my own existence for the sake of a perfect world!"

Silence filled the room for a time.

"So… I fought… I fought…" Touma trailed off, breathing heavy. He didn't know if it was because of the outburst of Gilgamesh's attacks, but his body suddenly felt heavy.

Gilgamesh began to laugh.

"I see… I see!" Gilgamesh spoke through his laughter. "I understand now! It makes complete sense!" He continued his laughter.

Touma gritted his teeth. He couldn't stand this either. He just spilled his soul out at Gilgamesh's request, and he had the nerve to laugh at him.

He shouted loud as he ran forward; battle cry of sorts. He chambered his fist and channeled all the strength he could muster as he hurled his right fist into Gilgamesh's face.

He didn't even try to dodge. Gilgamesh took the punch, stumbling backward somewhat but still managing to stand, laughing all the while.

"Of course… you would reject that world…!" Gilgamesh spoke as his laughter died down. "A world where you could not exist… would be a terrible thing, even if it was greater than your wildest imagination."

"That why are you laughing…?!" Touma spoke in a stern voice.

"Because I would do the very same thing." Gilgamesh replied. "If someone created my most wild fantasy in front of me under the condition that I could never experience it, I would destroy that person entirely!" he turned to face Touma properly. "I think I understand you now… Kamijou Touma."

These two could not be further different from one another.

Gilgamesh was blessed as a demi-god.

Touma was cursed as the holder of Imagine Breaker.

Gilgamesh never had a single worry in his life as he progressed.

Touma struggled to simply live every day as he marched forward.

The differences between the two were countless. But despite these differences, there was one single similarity.

The both fought for themselves. They fought for their own desires, and on their own terms. They chose each path and conflict they came across willingly without exception.

Although Gilgamesh travelled and killed for his treasures and desires on a whim for satisfaction, and instead Touma saved and protected everyone he could as he moved forward toward his own happiness.

These two fought on the paths they traveled for themselves.

And in this one singular trait, the King of Heroes Gilgamesh and the Illusion Killer Touma were exactly the same.

"…I don't know what you're getting at, but I don't think I like it…" Touma commented.

"For the world you desire most, it entirely makes sense for you to act as you are…" Gilgamesh spoke. "Yes… it makes complete sense. You act as you do for your own sake and attempts at happiness, even if that is granted through the happiness of others. But you are still so young and weak... barely able to stand up against the trails required of your desired world."

Touma gritted his teeth. That punch was all that he had; if Imagine Breaker did not banish Gilgamesh, then the Holy Grail must indeed be anchoring him to this plane of existence. Abruptly, Gilgamesh covered his eyes, laughing once more.

"To think… that such a person would exist." Gilgamesh spoke. "There exists only one man who holds my friendship… and there is only one woman who holds my affection… so it would seem that there is only one boy who holds my pity. I did not know I was capable of such an emotion…"

"What are you talking about…?" Touma reflexively backed up.

"You are one who will endlessly fight for yourself, to seek your own rewards in life, be it through the mongrels of this world or otherwise… but you are much too weak to claim your perfect world; you are much too feeble to defend yourself from others who seek their own worlds such as I." Gilgamesh looked at Touma once more.

Touma gritted his teeth again, but was suddenly caught off guard when Gilgamesh held out a hand to him.

"Join me." Gilgamesh requested simply.

"J-join you!?" Touma stuttered out. "You're bouncing all over the place here… what are you talking about!?"

"It is exactly as I say. This world and everything on it is mine; I merely desire to make it my ideal before I take up my throne once more. But that does not mean I am not patient; I can wait as long as necessary." Gilgamesh replied. "You are young and inexperienced, yet you have done so much. Follow me and my command and you shall improve endlessly; until that time presents itself where you can stand up for that world you desire so much as it's savior."

"And… then what?" Touma asked, confused.

"Challenge me for it." Gilgamesh spoke. "A war between the King of Heroes and the King of Illusions! This world is mine, and I will fight for it with every ounce of my strength. So if you desire your world so badly, grow. Become strong. Become one who can challenge the gods themselves and attempt to take this world from me! So that we can decide that which of us is the true owner of the world!"

Silence fell before the duo once more. Touma was completely taken aback by Gilgamesh's proclamation. He had heard the stories from his new friends about the man that stood before him, and never predicted such an outcome from a man who had done so many terrible things.

"…Fine." Touma spoke. "We can do that; I'll gladly fight to protect my world… but…" He trailed off for a moment. "…I cannot join you, Gilgamesh."

Silence enveloped the two once more as the two stared at each other.

Gilgamesh smirked.

He understood. Despite the reasons they acted being the same, the paths they walked were different; the things the desired and valued couldn't be further apart from one another. To take in elements from his world would require Touma to abandon his own.

No words needed to be spoken further about the topic.

"You understand what I must do then." Gilgamesh stated. Touma nodded. "Very well." Gilgamesh leapt backward and held out his hand. A series of red beams of light shot out of his hand and when they faded, a cylindrical sword with a golden guard and black blade rested in his hand.

"What… is that?" Touma questioned.

"My treasury contains over one-thousand Noble Phantasms, but this one is mine and only mine in all of the Throne of Heroes." Gilgamesh boasted. "My most powerful Noble Phantasm, the **Sword of Rupture, Ea.** With it, I can destroy the world you cherish with just one stroke."

"…I see." Touma focused his eyes as the cylinder started to spin, building up magical power.

"If you desire to save your world, you merely need to wrest this blade from my hand, either by stealing it or destroying it. That is your mission." Gilgamesh announced. "Fight with everything you have Kamijou Touma. This will decide who will own this world…!"

"…You don't have to tell me twice!" Touma shouted. "You better be ready, Gilgamesh! Because this ordinary high school boy has set his sights on the throne of the King of Heroes!" He then rushed forward, running towards Gilgamesh.

Gilgamesh grinned wide. He felt something that he hadn't in ages; excitement. This was it; what he was after. For the first time since he was summoned in this city, he felt joy.

Gilgamesh finally felt like he was truly alive once more.

This was cut short as a massive stone wrapped in air slammed into Touma's left flank. He cried out in pain as Gilgamesh's face broke out in shock. Touma's body rolled across the ground for a time, slowly coming to a halt.

"…There was no other way." A voice said. Gilgamesh slowly turned to say Hayden walking form the other wise of the warehouse. He had no idea Hayden was even here in this building, let alone that he would act.

"What… have you done…!?" Gilgamesh questioned. Ea stopped spinning suddenly.

"If that weapon is truly your greatest power, then I cannot let you throw it away over such a trivial matter." Hayden stated. He walked over to Touma and promptly stomped on his back, causing the felled boy to cry out in pain. "It is truly a shame… that he is half Aleister's plan. It is even sadder that he had to be involved in this war…"

Gilgamesh gripped Ea's hilt tightly, gritting his teeth.

"If you wish to deliver the final blow, you are more than welcome." Hayden spoke. Gilgamesh's features softened.

"…As you wish." Gilgamesh stated. He walked slowly over to Touma's body as Hayden stepped on it. As Hayden turned to face Gilgamesh, his face turned to anger once more. Gilgamesh launched forward and quickly ran Hayden through the stomach with Ea. Hayden almost immediately coughed up blood in response.

"W-why…!?" Hayden chocked out. Ea's blade spun while it was inside of him, and Gilgamesh abruptly hoisted Hayden up with it and tossed him aside; the spinning motion throwing Hayden cross the room.

"Why… why!?" Gilgamesh shouted. "Because he was mine! Mine to fight; mine to defeat! This battle was ours and ours alone, and you decided to barge your way inside, because it was tactical!? You disgust me! You have made the last mistake I will ever allow you!" Enkidu chains suddenly shot out, wrapping around Hayden's body to restrain him as he lifted Ea once more, its blade spinning wildly in tandem with Gilgamesh's rage.

"P-please… have mercy…!" Haden choked out.

"You are not worthy of such a kindness!" Gilgamesh shouted. "I will erase every last piece of your existence!"

Gilgamesh swung his blade as a fearsome power tore open the roof of the warehouse.

But this power did not belong to the blade he held.

Two attacks were launched. First, a violent torrent of wind hit Gilgamesh's right side; the force tearing through his armor like it was nothing, and slicing up his body as he flew backward, his body slamming into the wall. Second, a beam of light stuck Hayden and enveloped his entire form as fire erupted from the ground. He let out a horrifying scream that quickly became malformed as the energy enveloped him.

A second later, the Enkidu chains harmlessly hit the ground, vanishing shortly after. Next, a small golden chalice hit the ground. Hayden was nowhere to be seen.

Gilgamesh was still conscious and struggled to pull himself to his feet. That attack was powerful; much greater than he had felt in a long time. His right arm barely held Ea in his hand.

Two figures touched down. One had unruly but long black hair, a white and red kimono with a black under suit, appearing Japanese in nationality. The other was tan with white hair, and an elaborate white, red, and black garb.

"Just as I informed you." The white haired male stated.

"Solomon… are you sure that such a small cup would be able to return you to the mortal realm?" The black haired one answered.

"Of course Susanoo. I have been correct so far, have I not?" The one referred to as Solomon replied.

"Solomon… King of Magic…!" Gilgamesh spat as he slowly stood.

"It would seem that the Heroic Spirit still lives… I knew that armor granted him a high magic resistance, but I seemed to underestimate its strength…" Solomon spoke.

"Then I will silence him a second time." Susanoo stated, drawing the shorter of his two blades. **"Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi."** He swung the blade down and a massive torrent of wind erupted once more, traveling on a destructive path towards Gilgamesh.

Without warning, Touma pushed himself up just enough so he could block the attack with his right hand. The torrent of wind wrestled with Imagine Breaker for a time, before it was completely dispelled as a shattering sound was heard. Susanoo appeared to be surprised more than anything.

"…That boy." Susanoo questioned.

"He is one of two in this city who can change the path of fate with his actions, if we were to include you, that would make three." Solomon stated.

"So he is one you cannot predict. Then I shall end him." Susanoo walked forward briskly, gripping his blade tight. Suddenly a barrage of black stakes shot from the sky, all aimed for Susanoo. He moved to defend but Solomon took charge as he suddenly appeared next to him, holding out his hands. The stakes dissolved into mana as they flew through the air, not letting one survive.

"So we meet at last, Fiamma of the Right." Solomon stated. On one of the many steel beams that held up the ceiling before it was destroyed, Fiamma looked down upon the two, his face appearing aggravated.

"So, what the spy experienced was true then." Fiamma narrowed his eyes.

"Not even the great power of the Holy Right can bypass me. All magecraft regardless of power cannot harm me." Solomon stated.

"How about we test that…!?" Fiamma stated angrily as his Holy Right formed from his right shoulder once more.

"We do not have time to play with every mortal we come across, Solomon!" Susanoo shouted.

"…Others will be coming soon." Solomon stated. He quickly moved over to the cup and lifted it up. "We have the Lesser Grail, let us retire for now." Susanoo eyed Touma for a moment, who was just barely holding himself up.

"Cast the spell." Susanoo ordered. Fiamma fired off a large bright blast of magical energy at the two, but it was too late. After a short incantation, both Susanoo and Solomon were gone. Fiamma clicked his teeth as he commanded the blast to veer off course and land a fair distance away, exploding violently when it hit the ground, radiating the entire area with mana. Gilgamesh and Touma seemed to be unaffected by it, despite the effects. Touma rolled over onto his back.

"…Kamijou Touma." Gilgamesh called out. "…You saved me, your opponent in this duel; why?"

"…You mean after all this… you don't remember?" Touma replied, his body slumping back down to the ground. "I told you before… I don't need a reason to save someone…" Gilgamesh's eyes widened slightly before he clicked his teeth in frustration.

"Damn it all… not only do I pity your sad existence, but now I owe you my life…" Gilgamesh spat. "Didn't need a reason huh… even after all this; I was worth saving in your eyes…?" Touma didn't respond; it would appear that he lost consciousness. Gilgamesh closed his eyes as he heard footsteps inch closer.

"So he did fight you after all… I only came in when I felt those two make their move." Fiamma stated as he walked forward towards Touma.

"…This entire war is a farce." Gilgamesh stated, Ea fading way back in to his treasury.

"Something we can agree on." Fiamma knelt down, examining the injured Touma.

"Hold it right there!" A female voice sounded as the sounds of numerous footsteps could be heard. The owner of the voice was Rin, as she entered with Shirou and Saber, with others not far behind. "I don't know what the hell you did to him, but move even slightly and I'll blow your head off!"

"…Does it look like I'm capable of resisting right now?" Gilgamesh questioned, turning to face the three; his shredded body on open display.

"Holy… what the hell happened to you…?" Shirou asked purely out of shock.

"Don't waste my time… if you're going to kill me, then be quick about it." Gilgamesh spat. "I don't care about this war or the Grail anymore; do what you will." This confused the trio, leaving them to wonder what happened to bring on such a change in attitude for the King of Heroes.

"…Do you wish for a chance for revenge, Gilgamesh?" Fiamma suddenly asked.

"You already have a proper servant; don't patronize me." Gilgamesh replied.

"I'm not referring to me… it might be better for you to look for yourself." Fiamma spoke. He seemed to hold up Touma's left arm. Gilgamesh's face turned from frustration to shock. Eventually, Gilgamesh began to laugh once more.

"Really… is that how this stupid war is destined to play out?" He shouted, continuing to laugh, slowly backing up and holding himself. Fiamma motioned the other three to come closer with a serious expression. The three quickly understood what had happened.

A command seal had appeared on Touma's left hand.

* * *

 **Alright so; the main thing I want to address is the interaction between Gilgamesh and Touma and about his personality, but I'll go ahead and bring up that ending.**

 **My understanding (At this time, and I very well can be wrong), is that a Command Seal is a separate mana-source, and is not directly connected to the user's body side form the seal on the skin. This is the reasoning I'm going with here; since its not directly hooked up to the nerves of Touma's body, the Command Seals are not automatically rejected by Imagine Breaker (But if Imagine Breaker were to touch them, they would indeed be negated and destroyed). I just wanted to clear that up.**

 **And with that out of the way, on to the main event! (And to a certain someone, if these words sound familiar, that's because they are)**

 **My interpretation is that Touma is inherently selfish... just not in the way you would expect, and to an extent that not even he himself is fully aware of it, and was not aware of it until Othinus was involved. He goes around helping and saving people purely because he desires to. He completely and totally wants to, and the act of doing his good deeds grants him some form of satisfaction seeing the situation resolved and the person safe and sound, in accordance to his own nature.**

 **As in: he likes to help people because helping/saving people is rewarding to him in some form, though that form is usually the simple fact that the person/people in question are now safe. That, to me, is why I feel Touma refuses to acknowledge himself as a hero, because he is simply doing what he likes to do, and what he feels is natural. He's selfish in his heroism because he is acting based on his own desires (Admittedly good desires). He speaks highly of helping others and encourages others to do so because he enjoys the activity, regardless of the hardship often attributed to it, and he likes it to the point where he feels that it should simply be second nature. That's not to he likes the entire event, as in the fighting to save someone's life, but he simply enjoys the end result of helping others so much that the work he has to put in to save people is worth it to him.**

 **In essence; regardless if he's saving someone he's close to or a complete stranger, regardless of the reasons he's involved, he is honestly saving people because he WANTS to. To me, this is his hidden personality that secretly guides Touma and his actions. He has always been acting to satisfy his own personal desires, regardless if the situation and circumstances.**

 **Just like Gilgamesh does. Gilgamesh acts in accordance to his own desires, and so does Touma. They have completely different desires and nature, and completely different standards. The two couldn't be further apart in mostly all aspects.**

 **But in the pursuit of satisfying their own personal desires, these two are exactly the same.**

 **Those are my thoughts on the matter here. Thanks for reading and hearing me out. I've said my piece, so those that disagree may now violently tell me otherwise! Even if you don't agree, I hope my reasoning here at least made you think.**

 **That's all from me. Thank you for reading, have a good day!**


	20. Solomon

**Not much to say here until the end.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

It wasn't long before the rest of the forces fighting joined the main group inside the heavily damaged warehouse.

With Hayden long gone via Solomon's spell, the Golems outside had started to act erratically. Index noticed this and deduced that their master had suddenly left, and the golems started to either slow down or stop functioning entirely. The golems were no longer replicating as well, so when the set they were fighting was destroyed, their job had been done.

The only ones missing seemed to be Thor and his servant Berserker. They both left after seeing the incident, saying that they were going to try and track the King of Magic. Fiamma revealed that the cause of Gilgamesh's injury was none other than Susanoo, and that Hayden had already been felled by Solomon. Tsuchimikado quickly made his way over to Fiamma afterward, and the two decided to speak in private. The others were generally around Touma's body.

"I still can't... preform a full body heal on him…" Caster commented, sitting next to Touma who lost consciousness shortly after the affair with Solomon and Susanoo. "Localized still works, but I have to be precise… it will take much longer to perform."

"So it would seem that his right arm is more of curse after all." Gilgamesh commented. He held out his hand and a golden rift opened up, dropping a small jar. He set it down on the ground next to Caster. "Use that. Apply thoroughly, and he should be good as new; alert me when he awakens… it would appear that him and I have much to discuss."

"What are you planning?" Saber spoke up, seriousness evident in her voice. "As I told you before; I will not hand him over to you, regardless of whatever attempts you make. Regardless of whatever it is you want, if your goal revolves around him, then you will have to go through me first, understand?"

"What? Jealous? If you wanted attention from me, all you'd have to do is ask, you know." Gilgamesh replied. "Or… perhaps our little King of Knights has gotten attached to the King of Illusions? How cute…" Gilgamesh continued to mock Saber, smiling despite his injuries.

"Enough!" Saber shouted. "Despite your deeds, I have held back my blade as a mercy due to your wounds, but insult me again and I will not hesitate a moment longer! Now answer me; what do you want with Kamijou Touma!?" She threatened. Gilgamesh only chuckled.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gilgamesh asked. "Solomon and that other man have wounded me, and now that an avenue of retaliation is open, I intend to take full advantage of it."

"Kamijou-san has no mana for you to take advantage of, Gilgamesh. It would be best if you leave." Shirou warned.

"Even so… he can still simply use the seals to replenish me; that would be all I would need. Besides; do you really think you can take on the King of Magic all on your own, Faker? Don't make me laugh!" Gilgamesh mocked. Shirou gritted his teeth.

"…The King of Magic is no simple opponent." Lancer suddenly appeared, joining the group. It would appear that he came to reunite with his master, though it was unknown what he was doing; he simply could of bene there all along hiding his presence. "The guy stopped a magic attack twice his size just by being near it. If what he says is accurate, the guy can stop all magecraft. And that Susanoo guy is tough too; only why to beat him is with that Fairy Spell Fiamma knows… but Solomon can counteract that, thus the problem."

"…So to beat Susanoo requires defeating Solomon, but Solomon can stop all magecraft which leaves only physical abilities, in which Susanoo far out-classes any of us." Assassin summarized.

"Yeah; they complement each other perfectly." Lancer rubbed his neck. "It's one of those magical, "We need all the help we can get," kind of situations, understand? Even if Gilgamesh here is a complete bastard, if he's offering to help I'd take him up on his offer."

"Not a chance." Rin replied. "I wouldn't trust him; you know what he tried to do with the grail, right? There's nothing stopping him from trying that again."

"But then what do we do? Gilgamesh has a treasury with over one-thousand artifacts and Noble Phantasms insides; ones possibly able to harm or disable either Susanoo or Solomon outright… it is a difficult choice I understand, but we would be much worse off without him." Archer commented.

"You do not know the treachery he has committed or the extent of what he will do to achieve his goals. If we give him an opportunity, he will end us all." Saber stated.

"Friends, friends! Cease this pointless argument!" Rider bellowed, joining the conversation. "Surely we can agree on the severity of the situation, yes? A king and a god have descended down, and we are squabbling over petty differences? Regardless of your ambitions and your hatred, surely we understand that those two claiming the grail is akin to giving up on your own lives, right?"

"Of course we understand that, but we… don't know if that's enough of a reason to work with someone like him." Shirou replied. Gilgamesh himself seemed indifferent to the whole conversation.

"If you cannot reach an agreement, then the answer is obvious!" Rider chuckled. "Clearly it has been decided that the boy over there is the King of Heroes' new partner, yes? They may not have made a pact, but the child has the necessary seals and Goldie is without a master; let the boy decide!"

"…But… Touma could get hurt by him…" Index frowned and spoke softly. She abruptly cried out when Rider picked her up and held her so they could speak eye to eye.

"You worry about your mate very much, as you very well should in times of war." Rider spoke.

"M-mate!? D-don't misunderstand our relationship!" Index fidgeted in Rider's arms.

"But! This is how the events have played out; he must be the one to accept the terms or forge out a new fate on his own. I'm sure once he realizes the situation; he will understand the risks very well." Rider spoke. "He must be the one to decide if the risk of his life and ambitions is worth it to defeat an enemy who would gladly take both away from him."

"Put the brat down." Accelerator spoke up.

"But it is much easier to converse with such a small woman this way." Rider stated.

"S-small…?" Index stuttered out.

"It's not her fault you're the size of a truck." Accelerator stated. "Besides… I think you've made your point clear." Rider nodded after a moment of thought and gently set Index back down.

"…I don't like it… but since it's doubtful for him to summon a different servant, I suppose it really is his choice, isn't it?" Rin admitted.

"I'm still worried though; we still don't know what transpired between the two…" Saber commented.

"More the reason to let him pick, right?" Lancer commented.

"…Fine." Shirou conceded. "If he decides to take him, it will be a truce until Solomon and Susanoo are dealt with."

"Good to have your support, Faker." Gilgamesh commented. Shirou narrowed his eyes in frustration.

"If the fucking hero rejects him, I'll kill the bastard in gold myself. Don't worry your pretty little heads about it." Accelerator announced.

"So quick to attack an injured man, I see." Gilgamesh mocked.

"I'm not exactly the honorable type you piece of shit. I wouldn't care if all you were was a talking head; I'd still crush it under my boot if you pissed me off!" Accelerator replied.

"He's… very… erm… aggressive…" Rin commented.

"You get used to it." Rider commented. "It only adds to his charm!"

"He has charm…? His Charisma stat would be Rank E at best. At worst it would be nonexistent." Saber commented.

"I heard that!" Accelerator spat. "Don't make me come over there you bitch!"

"If it is a challenge you desire…" Saber was quick to draw her invisible blade once more.

"Stop… shouting…" A voice spoke. With healing provided by Gilgamesh's medical supply, Touma regained consciousness once more, sitting up slowly.

"Take it easy; you are still very much injured." Caster cautioned.

"Story of my life… such misfortune." Touma sighed.

"So you decide to return to the land of the living after all, Kamijou Touma." Gilgamesh welcomed.

"Oh hey… you're still… here?" Touma seemed confused. "I kind of… expected you to take off… and everyone else is here too? What's going on…?" He questioned, rubbing the back of his head, unaware of the situation.

"Kamijou-san… listen." Shirou spoke as he knelt down to Touma's side. "There's something important you need to take care of… first, look at, but don't touch, your left hand."

"What are you…?" Touma slowly held up his left hand, looking it over. He quickly took notice of the red command seal on the back of his hand. "What… is this?"

"A command seal… like mine." Shirou replied.

"But… why me? And why now?" Touma asked, more confused than anything.

"To be honest… we don't know." Shirou sighed. "I don't know if you would even want a servant… but if you did… summoning one is more than likely impossible for you under these conditions."

"…How bad is the situation?" Touma asked. "Those two from before… one of them was the Magic God, wasn't he?"

"Yeah… and the other is a servant capable of stopping magecraft entirely… which is why I wanted to bring this up." Shirou replied.

"But you said it yourself; I can't summon a servant… probably because of my right hand." Touma stated.

"Yeah… well… there's currently a servant with us who doesn't have a master anymore…" Shirou trailed off, seeming hesitant to speak.

"Hey… wait… you're kidding, right?" Touma asked.

"It is no jest, I can assure you." Gilgamesh stated, interrupting the conversation. "It would appear that it was more than coincidence that we would discover one another."

"The choice is yours, Kamijou-san. I just figured I'd… give you as much information as possible." Shirou stood up. Touma did the same, focusing his gaze on Gilgamesh for a time. He stood there thinking for a time, taking everything about the situation in. After about a minute, he spoke once more.

"…What do I need to do for this servant thing?" Touma asked.

"H-hold on… don't you want to give it a little bit more thought?" Rin asked, trying to push his reasoning the other direction. "I'm not criticizing your judgement… just don't make a decision like this so fast, you know?"

"She is right; Gilgamesh is not like those you have dealt with before; if it is a convenience for him, then he will betray you at a moment's notice." Saber added. "If it is your decision, we will accept it… but please think carefully…"

"What's there to think about?" Touma scratched his head. "Look… I don't really like receiving help; I honestly don't. I would much rather settle things myself with my own power… but with this whole Holy Grail War… I haven't been able to do that. If I tried, I would have died a long time ago the moment someone genuinely wanted to kill me… then everything leading up to this would have been meaningless. So if I have to endure having a partner in a fight for a little while longer so I can keep moving forward, then so be it. I don't mind as long as this war can end so things can go back to normal."

"So, do we have an agreement then?" Gilgamesh asked. "I dislike the notion of having to rely on someone else just as much as you, so you better understand my generosity here."

"As long as I'm not selling my soul to some kind of mythological demon, just tell me what I need to do." Touma replied simply.

And thus, a new contract was struck.

 **-10 minutes later-**

Gilgamesh was back in a full suit of golden armor once more. His injuries healed, his mana restored, he was better than ever.

The part that seemed off about the situation was that statement wasn't just a figure of speech.

'He is feeding me mana… definitely.' Gilgamesh thought as he examined his form. 'I can feel it coursing through me… its better than what Hayden was supplying me with… but how is that possible? It also feels… much different. There is absolutely no way this mana belongs to that boy… where is it coming from?' Gilgamesh, satisfied with his physical inspection, turned his gaze back to Touma. He naturally set his eyes on Touma's right arm.

Imagine Breaker.

'Could… that be the source…?' He narrowed his eyes as he attempted to figure out what was causing such an oddity.

"So… that's taken care of, what now?" Shirou asked.

"Finding Susanoo and Solomon. They have the Holy Grail, right?" Touma suggested.

"Indeed." Fiamma suddenly rejoined the group with Tsuchimikado not far behind him. "Like we discussed, Solomon used some of his ancient magic to forcefully convert Hayden Avalon into a Lesser Grail to connect with the Greater Grail."

"Nya… Susanoo is the big hitter here; full control over wind, possibly weather but we don't know for sure, as he and his siblings have been absent for a rather lengthy period of time. Plus… he seems more than a bit strong."

"The only way to deal with a Magic God is the Fairy Spell, isn't that correct? Like Lancer stated?" Index asked. Fiamma nodded simply.

"You all keep mentioning this, "Fairy Spell," what exactly is it?" Rin asked.

"The exact spell name is, **"Turn into a Fairy,"** for starters." Fiamma began. He held out his right hand and a magic seal appeared, and produced forth a small stake, emitting a pale light.. "The spell appears as a glowing stake that comes out of the user's open palm. Its use for the best effect is to impale a targets chest. The concept and application of this spell is based on the historical fact on how pagan gods were turned into fairies during the rise of Christianity, and forcefully applies the effect on divine beings struck."

"And… what does it do to them exactly…?" Rin asked once more, familiar with the fact that it is the result of the spell that Othinus was so small.

"It drains their power drastically over time, and slowly destroys their body from the inside out for as long as it remains within their body. If left in them for long enough, the effects will eventually kill them outright regardless of their immortality… to a Magic God, it is equivalent to a death sentence."

"That's… a really powerful spell… and all it does is create an enchanted stake with those effects?" Shirou asked, eyeing the Fairy Stake in Fiamma's hand.

"More or less. Use it and strike them in the chest; from that point forward is the only time a Magic God will be truly vulnerable to mortal attack." Fiamma finished.

"Problem is; it's magecraft without a doubt… and it turns out our friend Solomon, the Grand Caster, can negate all magecraft in close contact with him… including the Fairy Spell. So you need to beat Solomon before you can strike down Susanoo… but Susanoo more than likely knows that." Tsuchimikado added.

"…Just as we thought. That makes this very complicated…" Assassin summarized.

"There has to be some kind of weakness… how is Solomon able to negate magic?" Touma asked.

"…His rings." Index interjected. "He was given ten rings by God, and it would be my guess he used them for his development of magecraft. If that is true, it might be what allows for any and all magecraft performed to be negated and placed under his control."

"So destroy his rings and then he can be killed? It seems our plan of attack is already clear." Gilgamesh joined the group with his arms crossed. "Kamijou Touma's right arm can destroy magical artifacts, I have seen such when he destroyed my own in our battle; how does it fare against god's creations, I wonder?"

"…It was able to destroy Othinus' Gungnir, a divine construct… so if I can touch any of his rings with Imagine Breaker, it should negate and destroy them completely." Touma stated.

"Each one destroyed should affect his ability drastically, even if just one is destroyed it could be enough to make him vulnerable to magic." Index stated. "If he loses his ability to negate and control magecraft, then Susanoo becomes vulnerable to the Fairy Spell."

"I never thought that my idea for a vacation would lead us into a war against the King of Magic himself…" Rin mentioned.

"This is almost over; once we defeat Solomon and Susanoo, we can see to ending this Grail War." Saber stated.

Just then, a ringing noise erupted from Touma's pants pocket. It appeared to be his cell phone.

"Getting a call Kami-yan? Is from a girl, nya?" Tsuchimikado joked.

"Shut up it's… from Hamazura-san? Hold on, let me take this." Touma answered promptly.

"I see… so that's the use of a cell phone being demonstrated… able to be called from anywhere…" Rin stated, pulling out a similar device from her pocket.

"Yeah… like I told you… we really need to teach you about technology…" Shirou sighed.

"Shut up! I never used any of this before!" Rin shouted.

"It seems you have excellent taste in incompetent women, Faker." Gilgamesh laughed.

"Hey, I don't need a lecture from-" Shirou moved to get in Gilgamesh's face, but was stopped when Touma forcefully put his hand in front of him. Touma appeared to have a serious look on his face.

"…Ok, now say that again, what is going on in the center of District Seven?" Touma asked.

A calamity had finally struck in Academy City.

 **-Center of District 7-**

An area outside of space and time in the form of a giant sphere had appeared in the middle of a four-way inspection, and with it came great destruction. Four creatures burst from the ground , towering as high as many of the buildings, one of each street leading to the large sphere in the middle. They appeared through a mass of dark liquid that burst from the ground and formed into a pool. They were covered with a black and grey hide and had numberless large red eyes with black pupils that seemed to move erratically.

When the eyes focused on a single thing is when they would attack, a dark mist of mana erupted forth from the eyes and violently attacked whatever the eyes set their mark on, corroding and crushing whatever they touched. People were quick to evacuate when they first began to attack, and Anti-Skill was just as quick to respond to the threat, though they could do little against the towering behemoths as they moved around and struck whatever got close.

These were no mere creatures; they were Demon God's summoned forth from the Lesser Key of Solomon, owned by non-other than Solomon himself. They lashed out against whatever approached the object, as the sphere contained an alternate dimension; carved out of space and time by Susanoo himself, customized by Solomon's magic.

"I have successfully bound myself to the Lesser Grail, officially binding me to its system with no negative effects… how fortunate." Solomon mused as he held the Lesser Grail in his hand. The area appeared to be an all-white floor that expanded infinitely, with a bright sunny sky above covered in clouds. One could mistake such a plane of existence as heaven.

"So what happens now? I am growing impatient with this conflict, Solomon." Susanoo spoke.

"Just a short time longer and I will awaken your brother and sister from their eternal slumber. When my hands are mortal once more, I will gladly cast the spell you require to awaken them." Solomon answered.

"Speak; what do you need next, magician? Do not toy with me; though our grievances between one another are so vast that a mortal mind cannot comprehend it, Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi are my sister and brother. They are mine, and they sleep due to Tsukiyomi's own trickery; I enjoy the thought of envy that would course through them as they realize that I was not only the one who awoke from Tsukiyomi's spell, but also their savior as well." Susanoo spoke.

"Of course; that day is soon." Solomon answered. "I needed to bind myself to the Holy Grail, thus adding me to a proper participant of this war; with you as my master, in order for us to use its power. When the souls of seven Heroic Spirits gather within the Grail, its power can be activated; you will use the grail to wish for my revival as a mortal man, and then I shall lift Tsukiyomi's spell."

"You wish to revive properly as a mortal so that you can ascend to the position of Magic God yourself, is that right?" Susanoo spoke.

"Correct; I cannot do such as long as I am regarded as a Heroic Spirit, even if I summon myself as such. As of now, the only artifact capable of true revival resides in my hand." Solomon explained. Susanoo narrowed his eyes in a suspicious manner, but seemed to accept the answer.

"So your plan is to use these demon gods outside of this barrier you have erected around this space to lure in your targets so that they can be slaughtered for your Grail." Susanoo stated out-loud; Solomon nodded in agreement. "I understand; a devious tactic indeed… but I wonder… that aside from me, there are two others who alter the strands of fate with their actions, thus reshaping the future, correct? That boy who stopped my attack; the aura around him was strange… he was one of them, as you said, right?"

"Correct; his name is Kamijou Touma; he is the only one who stands a chance of bringing us harm with his ability; I'm sure you remember." Solomon answered.

"…Who is the other?" Susanoo asked, crossing his arms.

"A man who should have long since died; his status alone has made him exempt from fate itself; though such should be a curse for any mortal, he has turned that curse into a strength; he controls this city and much of what happens here." Solomon explained. "He resides in an all-white building to the north; no doors or windows."

"If an entrance does not exist then I shall make my own." Susanoo announced as he moved to leave the area. "Make sure your Demon Gods do their job, or I shall cut them down at their disgusting roots, magician." With that, Susanoo vanished without a trace.

Solomon closed his eyes to meditate at a time; soon his own dreams would be realized. Humanity had abused his gift of magic for so long for their own gain; to spiral into their own circle of death and destruction. It horrified and enraged the King of Magic to no end.

At first he sought for humanity's complete annihilation; revenge for his gift's abuse.

But then he witnessed it; the phases applied over the world by the Magic God Othinus.

He felt the disturbance with the world and summoned himself to investigate, and bore witness of a Magic God's power first hand. As a heroic spirit, he was considered to be neither alive nor dead, so he would not be altered by Othinus' magic, but he observed it in its entirety.

He saw the phase applied to make one boy the world's enemy, the phase made to prove that the boy's life as a shell was meaningless, and even the phase that created a perfect world that would require that boy's death in order to protect it. He saw the battle between the boy and a god that spanned over 10,000 mortal deaths.

The battle that ended in the God's victory in combat, but a loss in the argument; as the boy was the very thing that Magic God Othinus was seeking.

Though the Magic God ended her alterations; a new possibility was born.

If Solomon was to become a God of Magic himself, he could alter the phases as well; to create that world he desired most.

And all he needed was a wish from the Holy Grail to return to the body of a mortal. And from there he could become a god.

An odd presence interrupted Solomon's thoughts; no one should be able to traverse the Bounded Field he created except for Takehaya Susanoo.

But despite this, Solomon seemed to be amused.

"…The Lesser Key of Solomon, and its section Ars Goetia, a grimoire on demonology. Containing the listing of great demon gods, and the rituals to appease and summon forth these beasts to act as servants of their masters; some say it became the basis of the summoning system used in the Holy Grail War." Solomon suddenly spoke. "It is entirely different of course, but conjecture is conjecture. This section of that great grimoire was compiled from a variety of different sources and translation until it became the Lesser Key of Solomon, or the Lemegeton. This book's information was translated, compiled, and ultimately published by one man… Aleister Crowley." He finished, turning around to greet the intruder in his realm.

He stood with long silver hair, a green hospital gown, and held a malformed staff, staring Solomon down with emerald green eyes. This man looked like he was both young and old, man and woman, and appeared to be both a saint yet also a criminal.

This man was non-other than the General Superintendent of Academy City itself.

"It is good to know that even relics of the past have knowledge of the world around them, even in a state such as you." Aleister spoke.

"It is easy to learn when one can see into the past, present, and future at will… Silver Star. Or would you prefer me to call you as others do; the greatest magician in history?" Solomon spoke.

"To think the King of Magic himself would admit such. I'm honored." Aleister replied. Solomon smirked.

"The titles of man are meaningless here. Before the King of Magic, even if you could have bested me in its practice it would be of little consequence." Solomon replied. "Now then; why have you come to this place? And better yet… how have you?"

"A barrier of this nature is easy to decipher and manipulate. As for why… well, there is something here I want." Aleister calmly spoke.

"Oh… the Grail then? Want a wish back your beloved daughter that the Magic Gods took from you oh so easily?" Solomon laughed. Only a simple frown formed on Aleister's face. "Don't make me laugh; one of the many enchantments on your building blocked out the Grail; only I know the way to bind oneself to it. You waste your time."

"You misunderstand." Aleister stated. "I have not come here for the Grail… the chalice or its capability does not interest me… I've come here for you, King Solomon." Aleister lifted up his staff, aiming the crystal at the top at Solomon, discharging a large blast of magical energy. Solomon's smirk grew, but quickly faded as he lifted up one of his own arms to unleash a spell of his own to combat the attack.

Solomon was confused and angry. He did not act to show off his power.

He acted to stop the spell from striking him. Despite the power of his holy rings, Aleister's magic did not vanish. He could not control it or alter it in any way.

He was forced to block it.

"What is the meaning of this, you accursed mage!?" Solomon spat. "These rings granted to me by God give me the power to nullify all magecraft, as it is my invention! How have you circumvented my power!?" Solomon's eyes grew furious as his mind combed history itself in search for a cause. "…You are no Magic God; that would have to be the only way. You rejected the chance to become one; what is this treachery!?"

"It would seem your ability to see through time cannot pierce my residence, otherwise the answer would be obvious to you." Aleister commented. "Yes, I am called the Silver Star, and some may even refer to me as the greatest magician in history… but there is one other title I am given… the **Archetype Controller."**

"Archetype Controller…? What are you talking about…!?" Solomon gritted his teeth in frustration.

"An Archetype is a psychological concept for a common understanding or sense of values that developed as each member of a race or group dealt with an identical problem in the same way, to put it simply." Aleister began. "I can freely control, alter, and even destroy these however I wish. And those part or involved with the world will be affected accordingly… even the Gods themselves cannot escape it."

Solomon's eyes widened as he realized what this meant.

"Just for you I have changed my own archetype, you should be very proud to force me to do so." Aleister stated. "I have gone from the, "Greatest magician in history," to, "He who's mind, body, and magic stands above even the King of Magic himself."

"Impossible…! Such an ability should have no stance here!" Solomon spoke. "This is my world! Your controller should have no value here!"

"No… this is not your world… it may have been altered by you, but it is very much the property of Takehaya Susanoo, would it not?" Aleister replied. Solomon gritted his teeth in anger.

"So… the moment he stepped out of this realm… your Archetype controller…!"

"Indeed; you are vulnerable to my magic because the god who gave them to you now believes you to be… and now, even the god of this new world believes it as well, and it is the god's belief and magic that give your rings their power."

"Curse you… curse you! I will rend you from this world!" Solomon shouted, a variety of magic circles appearing all around him as he prepared to attack.

"Please… do try; I would hate to come all the way to meet the King of Magic just to be disappointed." Aleister stated as he himself prepared for battle.

And thus in a hidden world, the battle between the most powerful mages in history began. As the two moved to engage each other, Aleister spoke one single phrase.

"Beast666."

* * *

 **Stuff revolving around Solomon may seem confusing, and possibly not even accurate, but hopefully that doesn't take away from the over-all enjoyment factor here.**

 **I hope you enjoyed!**


	21. Demon Gods

**More possible inconsistency involving Solomon and his Demon Gods ahead! Hopefully if they are there, they aren't that distracting.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Woah… those… are really ugly…!" Touma commented as they approached.

"I told you it wasn't pretty." A dirty blond boy in a brown sweatshirt and faded blue jeans replied. This boy appeared to be the same age as Touma; his full name was Hamazura Shiage, and seemed to be one who procured a large military-class vehicle for transport. Touma was currently sitting in the passenger side as Hamazura drove.

Fiamma and Lancer said that they would take their own route to the location, Fiamma stating that it would be necessary for infiltration. Excluding those two and Thor and Berserker, the remaining masters and servants were located in the back.

"No kidding… but I have to ask… why did you have to pick up a truck with live ammunition and weaponry on board!?" Touma shouted.

"Accelerator! Is this what they call an, "Assault Rifle?" It looks like the kind of weapon those soldiers used from before!" Rider shouted. Touma and Shiage could hear the conversation from the back.

"Put that down you gigantic moron!" Accelerator shouted. The two up front could then hear the sounds of a struggle.

"Hey, you wanted something that could move a small army around, I got you one!" Shiage replied. "Besides… what's with the golden one who decided to ride on top…? What exactly are you involved with this time?"

"Oh you know… a situation that could end the world… the usual." Touma joked.

"The usual, he says… jeeze." Shiage commented. "Be careful, otherwise that really will become the normal way of life for you."

"No kidding… such misfortune…" Touma sighed.

"How are things up here?" Shirou leaned into the front of the vehicle.

"It could be better; four giant tentacle things sticking out of the ground dead ahead, not sure how long before they notice us." Touma commented.

"You're not joking … least the streets are clear." Shirou commented.

"Don't forget the giant reflective sphere thing in the middle; I'm going to guess that's where you're trying to get to." Shiage commented.

"Chances of just being able to take out one of these things by ramming it with the truck?" Touma asked jokingly.

"If you can turn this thing into a jet liner, then we'll talk." Shiage replied. The sound of a gunshot was heard and the round seemed to just barely travel over Shirou and hit the windshield, shattering it.

"W-what the hell!?" Touma shouted.

"Why the fucking hell did you take the safety off!?" Accelerator shouted from the back.

"Hey! No gunfire in the truck! I WILL turn this thing around!" Shiage shouted into the back.

"…Not that bad of an idea; one of them finally saw us!" Touma shouted. Ahead the Demon God's eyes were all focused on them as they moved; a variety of magic based attacks seemed to shoot off from each individual eye.

"Don't worry, leave it to me!" Shiage shouted as he began to rapidly turn the wheel back and forth. The military vehicle swerved wildly on the road as it dodged the onslaught of magic missiles that exploded all around.

"T-this is bad!" Shirou stuttered out.

"You wanted it close, you're getting close!" Shiage hit the gas as he sped forward. All the eyes seemed to widen in intensity, preparing to fire again, but a barrage of golden weapons suddenly slammed into the Demon God's front from top to bottom, exploding all over, causing it to let out a loud ear piercing wail of pain. "What the hell was that!?" Shiage shouted as he attempted to keep the truck steady.

"I think that was Gilgamesh up top…!" Touma shouted. A stray blast of energy fired off from one of the still intact eyes and hit the driver's side of the vehicle, blasting the wheel to shreds and annihilating the door. It quickly began to swerve out of control.

"Hold on guys, it's gonna get bumpy!" Shiage shouted as the vehicle crashed into the front portion of an office building; it went hallway inside before debris and the brakes forced it to stop.

"Ow… is everyone ok?" Shirou coughed out due to the dust and smoke kicked up from the wreak.

"Would be better… if someone didn't blow out the windshield…" Shiage coughed. He wasn't injured but was obviously shaken up.

"I tried to stop him." Accelerator spoke.

"Basic knowledge and hands-on experience are two different things." Rider replied.

"That doesn't mean fire it in the god damn car!" Accelerator shouted back.

"It was an accident." Rider explained plainly, as if this was just a regular occurrence for him.

"Someone… is touching my butt!" Rin shouted.

"Y-you're sitting on my feet Rin…" Index stuttered out.

"O-oh… sorry…" Rin quickly apologized.

Touma and Shirou moved to check the back, only to find that amidst the chaotic driving everyone had been thrown out of their seats and were scattered around.

The only ones who remained sitting perfectly were Saber and Assassin. It could be assumed that Rider was thrown around because he was standing as he tried to work the Assault Rifle he had found.

"Riding skill." Saber stated.

"Not my first rodeo." Assassin added.

"Well… at least everyone is fine…" Touma asked. An explosion forced open the back of the vehicle, revealing Gilgamesh with his arms crossed.

"If you all desire to indulge in sins of the flesh with one another; do it later. There is work to do you mindless dregs." Gilgamesh stated before walking away, leaving the door open.

"He's focused…" Tsuchimikado stated.

"Probably wants to get this over with as soon as possible…" Touma replied. Slowly the group began to climb to their feet and exit. "Hamazura-san, are you going to be ok?"

"Peachy…" Shiage replied. "I'm gonna get out of here before the guys I jacked this from start looking for it. Some people might have gotten trapped in these buildings, so I'm going to see if I can help them out. Are you sure you and your friends are going to be ok out here?"

"We will be fine, good luck! And thanks for your help!" Touma replied. One by one those contained in the vehicle exited, looking on at the rampaging Demon Gods. Looking to the skies, one could easily see a squadron of aircraft currently engaging the higher areas of them.

"Anti-Skill sure is putting in work…" Tsuchimikado commented.

"The wounds they inflict do not seem to last long, I'm afraid." Archer stated.

"I can sense a large amount of mana coming from each one… what the hell are these things?" Rin asked.

"Demon Gods from the Lemegeton Grimoire, otherwise known as the Lesser Key of Solomon. The demons you see are Barbatos, Forneus, Halphas, and Flauros… more than likely they are familiars summoned from hell by Solomon." Index explained.

"The Lesser Grail is within that sphere… no mistaking it." Caster stated.

"Seems like they have high speed regeneration… that one Gilgamesh struck is already mostly healed…" Touma commented.

"Disgusting creatures… are you absolutely sure that these beasts are familiars of the King of Magic!?" Gilgamesh shouted.

"There's no mistaking it… If I had to guess, then they might be tied to a magic barrier around the sphere; acting like guards. I have no way of knowing for sure, but it's the only thing I can come up with." Index surmised. Gilgamesh clicked his teeth in frustration.

"…Fine then. If annihilating these vile creatures is what it takes to drown Solomon and Susanoo in their own blood, so be it." Gilgamesh begrudgingly agreed.

"Archer; can you see Berserker anywhere?" Saber asked.

"No; he is not here." Archer replied. Saber was growing increasingly concerned about the missing knight Lancelot.

"Don't worry about him; if he's with Thor, he's fine." Touma stated. "That guy is nowhere near weak; I've gotten into more than a few brawls with him. I'm sure Berserker is safe and sound."

"…Thank you." Saber replied, smiling. "Now; what is our plan of attack?"

"Isn't it obvious!? The strategy to employ here should be to divide and conquer!" Rider announced. "These monsters are indeed strong, but in comparison to us they are nothing but an obstacle to overcome! If we split up, we can easily crush even these mighty beasts and make our way to destroying the Grand Caster and his God of Magic!"

"That might not be a bad idea… we may need to take down all four to get in anyway; if we take too long Solomon might be able to accomplish his goal regardless if the Holy Grail is filled or otherwise." Rin stated.

"My specialty is anti-personnel combat… I can't do much against giant monsters I'm afraid." Assassin spoke.

"That's fine… if you can do anything to stop that thing from hitting us, that would work." Shirou stated. "I think I'll stay here and try to deal with this one… my projection has a large arsenal; surely something I have access to can bring this behemoth down."

"Sounds like a plan; a plan that needs a lot of mana." Tsuchimikado stated. "I think I can work something out for you!"

"In that case, I'll head to the beast to the east. One swing with Excalibur fully charged should be more than enough to erase one. Doing all four would simply take too much mana from me to be practical, unfortunately." Saber stated.

"That's fine; I have a feeling we will need all of your strength once we actually get inside anyway." Touma replied, others in a mutual agreement.

"Then let me go with you; I can support you. I find it doubtful that the Demon God will allow us to attack it without retaliation." Caster stated.

"Let me join; I know the demons physiology and mannerisms inside and out; I can give you a solid prediction of each one of its moves. With all of these spells they cast; I'm certain that more than a few are susceptible to Spell Intercept." As they discussed their strategy, Archer watched carefully. He felt a hand on his shoulder and shifted his gaze.

"If you want to assist her, go ahead." Tsuchimikado stated.

"Are you sure? These demons are dangerous." Archer warned.

"I know; that's why a knight should be there to defend his king, wouldn't you agree?" Tsuchimikado replied. For the first time since they met, Archer's face shifted to a small smile.

"Of course. Thank you." Archer bowed lightly before walking over to join the offensive force led by Saber.

"I guess if Saber is headed to the east… I should join her as her master… but Emiya-kun might need my help…" Rin thought out loud. She jumped when her hand was pulled suddenly by Accelerator.

"Woman, I saw you kicking the shit out of those pieces of shit from before with your bare hands every now and then… there is no way you're that strong naturally; how the hell did you pull it off?" Accelerator asked simply. His gruff attitude seemed to catch Rin off guard.

"W-well! That's reinforcement magic!" Rin stated. "By channeling my mana into something I can make it significantly stronger, even if it's just my limbs and muscles. It's easy."

"Stronger you say…" Accelerator trailed off before a wide grin formed on his face. "Rider! The woman is coming with us; make sure she is comfortable."

"Wait, what?" Rin asked in a confused tone, before suddenly being hoisted into the air by Rider. "H-hey! Put me down!"

"It would appear that he has a rather devious strategy in store; and I cannot wait to see what he has planned!" Rider bellowed cheerfully as he summoned his chariot. "Tell me! Which beast will be the one to feel our blades!?"

"West side. We will kill it with just one attack!" Accelerator grinned wide. Rider laughed as the three boarded his chariot and took to the sky, despite how much Rin objected to the idea.

"I guess that leaves the one to the north to us then." Touma stated, rubbing the back of his neck.

"An excuse to abandon these fools is most welcome regardless." Gilgamesh stood with his arms crossed. A large golden rift appeared behind him and a large golden ship with green translucent wings came forth; its only apparent seat was a single throne near the back.

It was his **Vimana: Throne of the Heaven-Soaring King** , fully repaired from his engagement with Accelerator.

"W-whoa…" Touma was suddenly struck with awe, unable to speak.

"Beautiful, is it not? It is the only transportation worthy of housing me properly." Gilgamesh boasted.

"Explains why you didn't want to ride inside the truck with everyone else…" Touma stated. Gilgamesh grabbed ahold of Touma by the back of his shirt and threw him up on top of it, landing on his back. "Ow! Careful!"

"It would be wise to be cautious of where you place your right hand, unless you wish to drop out of the sky." Gilgamesh warned. Touma immediately pulled his hand up and held it; being carefully not to accidentally destroy Vimana with Imagine Breaker. Gilgamesh jumped up and slowly walked over to the throne, delicately taking a seat upon it. "That being said… it would also be wise to brace yourself." With a gesture of his hand, Vimana shot into the sky quickly, soaring into the clouds almost instantaneously, orienting itself to fly far over the four demon gods.

"H-holy crap! I-I think I almost died there…!" Touma stuttered out.

"If you think that was impressive…" Gilgamesh grinned as with another gesture, Vimana arced downward and shot straight toward the creature on the north side, ready to engage in combat.

The battle on four sides to slay four fiends had begun.

 **-South Side, Demon God Barbatos-**

It wasn't long before Shirou's offensive began; firing off projected weapons from the knowledge he received from the Heroic Spirit EMIYA. The Demon God retaliated in kind as it was struck; firing off a barrage of blasts from his numerous eyes. Shirou quickly dodged and the few attacks he couldn't were intercepted by Assassin.

The Demon God Barbatos regenerated the damage that was inflicted at a quick pace, causing Shirou to curse in frustration. As he began his next assault, he felt his mana jump up, being restored.

"Hey… was that you Tsuchimikado? How do you that?" Shirou asked. He looked off to see Tsuchimikado kneeling in a magic circle with a variety of origami figures all around, appearing as though his body was stressed.

"It's just pulling a little power from the earth and putting it in the right place…!" Tsuchimikado stated. "I hope you have a plan; using magic as an esper causes it to rebound really badly…!"

"…Got it!" Shirou shouted, forging a bow and a spiral arrow with his projection magic.

" **Caladbolg!"** Shirou shouted as he fired the odd spiral arrow; it quickly striking the Demon God. It stuck and exploded promptly, destroying a large section of the beast, but it quickly began to repair itself.

"Stubborn little bastard, isn't he?" Tsuchimikado spoke. "How many of those can you fire off at once? If we separate it from the base, it might kill it! Like cutting down a tree!"

"I'm not able to shoot multiples at once accurately. Besides; those take a monstrous amount of mana to fire off; if I go too quick I could kill myself with the strain!" Shirou shouted.

"Clear out! It's getting ready to attack!" Assassin warned as all the eyes focused once more. Instead of one target, it instead chose to carpet bomb the entire street, firing a wave impossible to dodge due to their explosive nature.

Before they could land, a surge of electricity erupted from behind them, covering everything. The surviving street lamp's light bulbs exploded violently as they, along with several metal braces from the destroyed buildings foundations shot up into the air and intercepted every last one, the shards of metal and steel raining down afterward.

"So… are you going to tell me where that idiot is?" A female voice spoke from behind. Shirou turned; it was the girl that they met in Touma's hospital room.

Misaka Mikoto, the 3rd ranked level 5 in Academy City.

"H-hey! Long time no see!" Shirou answered nervously. Something about this girl made him feel uneasy.

"Don't play dumb; where is he?" Mikoto asked simply.

"H-he should be on the other side… he's dealing with the monster to the north with another person." Shirou answered. Mikoto immediately began to spark.

"Oh… so he could have asked me for help and ran off with someone else, huh…?" Mikoto grinned, a noticeable anger in her voice.

Shirou immediately felt sorry for Touma, as he knew what fate had in store for him now.

"We don't have time to chat! It's getting ready to attack again!" Assassin shouted. The Demon God roared out as mana surged within, readying an assault.

"We are in the middle of something you disgusting freak!" Mikoto turned and flipped what looked like an arcade coin into the air. The moment the coin hit Mikoto's outstretched hand it shot off, turning into a beam of orange light that hit the Demon God instantly. It burrowed through the creatures hide, completely piercing it, although it regenerated from the hit.

"What… the heck was that?" Shirou asked.

"Judging from that reaction… it would have had to be a Railgun, making parallel currents close together and firing metallic objects with the electromagnetic effects." Assassin explained.

"Not bad… there's more to it, but you have the basics down very well." Mikoto complimented.

"So wait… anything as long as its metal, you can fire off just like that…?" Shirou questioned. Mikoto nodded quickly, but before he could continue a voice called out from above.

"Too bad you don't have anything with a kind of potential to sever that thing from the base completely!" Lancer called out from above. He knelt down, looking towards the group. He had a confident smirk even though he had just arrived.

"Feel like lending us Gáe Bolg then, big guy?" Tsuchimikado called out.

"Get your own." Lancer replied simply, not losing his cocky expression. This seemed insulting, but Shirou understood what he meant.

"Trace… on!" Within an instant, he analyzed Lancer's Gáe Bolg with his trace, and in the next formed his own version of it in his hand with projection. He gripped it tight; its weight was more than apparent.

"Not bad… but can you use it?" Lancer asked jokingly.

"Only one way to find out…" Shirou replied. "Tsuchimikado, one more refill!"

"You got it! Use it well!" Tsuchimikado coughed out as he channeled mana form the earth and fed it directly into Shirou's body.

"Misaka-san… you fired that coin like a Railgun… can you fire this?" Shirou asked.

"Let me see…" She spoke, running some electricity through the lance. Shirou felt a tingling sensation, but he didn't find it painful. "This thing feels like it's made out of bone… there's some iron here, but I'm not sure if it's enough…" Shirou mentally cursed. He was about to think of something else when he felt the ground rumble. He then noticed Mikoto start to run her electricity into the ground, and shortly after a black dust broke through sections of the pavement, and it began to wrap all around Shirou's projected Gáe Bolg.

"What… is this…?" Shirou asked confused.

"Iron sand; the earth and the pavement on top of it is loaded with the stuff. If I wrap it around like this, I'll be able to fire this thing off without a problem.

"Is… is it really going to work?" Shirou asked.

"Of course." Mikoto smirked. "Don't underestimate a level 5, you got that?" She finished. That's all the convincing Shirou needed as he refocused his gaze at the monster in front of him.

It didn't matter if he was strong enough to throw the spear properly; all he needed to do was to trigger its true function. Shirou held it above his head, aiming it at the demon god.

" **Gáe… Bolg!"** Shirou shouted as the spear erupted in red energy, Shirou hurling it forward. Before it could even leave his hands fully, Mikoto punched the back of it and discharged it with her Railgun. The orange light mixed with the red energy as it soared forth into the base of the Demon God, exploding violently on contact with more power and a much larger explosion radius than Caladbolg.

The demon god's base had been completely destroyed, and with that it began to fall. Lancer jumped high into the sky with his own Gáe Bolg, calling its name and thrusting forward. A bright red light shot out and traveling through the Demon God, coming out and reentering until it had pierced every single eye of the massive beast. The Demon God known as Barbatos fell onto the street, just barely missing the ones below.

Being severed from its base, and the numerous injuries inflicted by Lancer's certain kill attack, Barbatos cried out one final time before it began to vanish.

But this was just one; three more groups were fighting against three more demon gods.

 **-East Side, Demon God Forneus-**

"Even with magic resistance mitigating some of the damage… this beast strikes hard." Saber commented as she leapt around the battlefield, narrowly dodging blasts from the demon god before her. What she could not dodge she struck down with her blade, Invisible Air making short work of the Demon God's Magic. A number more fired down, but those were rendered useless by either Archer's vacuum blades, Caster's magical strings, or Index's Spell Intercept.

Index often took it a step further and redirected the attacks back into the beast's eyes, quickly discovering that although they would regenerate; destroying the eyes prevented them from firing off more magic missiles for a short time.

Due to their close proximity to the monster, they could notice its second form of attack. A deep red mist seemed to erupt from the pool of ooze it rose from. The mist seemed to be under the Demon God's control, and it dissolved whatever it touched, regardless if it was alive or not, the only real exception being the Demon God itself. When the fatal fumes would reach the group, Saber would blast the mist back with her Invisible Air.

"That thing seems to be growing more eyes to compensate for the ones we manage to disable… its attack ability is growing." Archer commented.

"Who knows what other kind of tricks it has… I just need time to build up mana..." Saber gritted her teeth in frustration.

A loud screech erupted cross the sky. Those involved could easily recognize it; the source was Berserker. The thunderous roar filled the sky as a sudden volley of projectiles hit Forneus from top to bottom, exploding on contact and causing the Demon God to cry out in pain. Above them, a ship much more advanced than the attack planes they saw earlier barreled through the sky with black mist coming from it. Shortly after Berserker was healed, the Mad Enhancement took hold of him once more, but he was no longer focusing all of his attention on attacking Saber.

"That ship… it's been affected by Berserker's Noble Phantasm, has it not?" Index asked.

"Yes… it corrupts and converts whatever Berserker can see as a weapon into a Noble Phantasm… it seems that the constructs of Academy City are no different." Archer replied. "The boy calling himself Thor is up there as well… whatever assault the monster tries is intercepted by Thor's magic."

"The attack damaged all of the eyes on the front… but they will regenerate…" Caster stated. An idea popped into her head. "Archer! Is Berserker coming around for another pass?"

"He seems to be…" Archer replied.

"Saber; get ready. If those eyes need to heal completely before they can attack, then we just won't let them heal; I'll need your support Archer!" Caster called out, channeling mana as a variety of magic circles appeared around her body.

"…Understood." Archer replied, understanding the idea. He pulled back on his bow strings in preparation.

"Saber, do whatever you need to do; whatever stray attacks get through I will stop!" Index stated.

"Just keep me defended and I'll handle the rest." Saber jumped back, Invisible Air leaving her blade as Excalibur revealed itself in its full glory.

Berserker came around, just as Archer said, and unleashed another volley of missiles upon the demon god; the projectiles being greatly enhanced by Berserker's Noble Phantasm. Though a few were shot down, most of the barrage slammed into the beast, damaging or destroying its eyes once more.

"Archer, now!" Caster called out.

" **Failnaught!"** Archer unleashed his Noble Phantasm as he unleashed a massive flurry of vacuum blades at the Demon God. Caster unleashed her enchanted strings in just as great of numbers at Archer's blades, each one wrapping around them as they pierced the monster. Caster redirected each blade as they exited so they would reenter and exit again with the magical threads she wielded; she was sewing her fibers throughout the Demon God's body to prevent it from healing properly.

Forneus roared out in pain and struggled against the bindings as more vacuum blades pierced it. Old eyes were rendered useless, and new eyes were pierced just as quickly as the beast could produce them. In a list ditch attempt to free itself it unleashed the red mist upward, covering its body with the miasma. The mist slowly dissolved the strings as Caster could feel the strands she held with her magic grow limp and fall to the ground. The beast roared, as it was finally able to restore itself completely and prepare its next assault.

But the time it used to deal with its affliction was all the time Saber needed.

She held her mighty blade high above her head, shining bright as energy filled it. Saber took one step forward, and brought the blade down as the others cleared the way.

" **Ex… calibur!"** She shouted as the blade hit the ground. The moment it came into contact with the pavement a massive bright light burst forth and traveled along the ground, nearly filling the street with energy. The blast struck the Demon God and in that moment, enveloped it completely as the energy shot skyward, the holy power annihilating the beast as it cried out in pain.

It wasn't long before the exposure completely erased the Demon God Forneus. With the bright light, they could also see the south Demon God fall and be pierced by Lancer's attack around the same time.

Two Demon Gods were now dead.

 **-West Side, Demon God Halphas-**

Accelerator clicked his teeth. He rode on Rider's chariot in the air with Rin close by as they dodged a barrage of magic missiles.

This Demon God proved to be much more aggressive than the others, and the group didn't seem to know why.

"Persistent one, isn't he?" Rider commented, motioning the bulls pulling his chariot to dodge another set of blasts.

"More than a little… damn it." Accelerator spat.

"Hold on for a second, I'm still confused. What do you need me for?" Rin asked, holding onto the side of the chariot to keep steady.

"That reinforcement spell of yours." Accelerator replied.

"Really…? Something as simple as that?" Rin asked. "I saw you fight those golems; you don't need reinforcement on yourself. Shouldn't something like that be a cakewalk with someone of your caliber?"

"It's not for me, you idiot!" Accelerator shouted. "And yeah, if I went all out I could floor all fucking four of them, but I really don't feel like exhausting myself by unleashing my full power before the god damn final confrontation!"

'Similar reasoning to Saber…' Rin narrowed her eyes. "Fine; I get that. What do you need reinforced?"

"The building at the end of the street, whenever we can get this fucker to leave us alone." Accelerator replied, referring to the Demon God who was still very much attacking them as they soared in the air.

"Ok… what part of it?" Rin asked.

"The whole thing. It's about the same size as that piece of shit, so it should work." Accelerator replied. Rin blinked once.

"…I'm sorry, what?" Rin cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Reinforce the whole building. What's there to misinterpret here!?" Accelerator shouted.

"I'm trying to figure out why!? What's the plan!?" Rin shouted. "Besides; something THAT big I could only reinforce for about twenty seconds, tops! I can take in some of the mana from my jewels to replenish myself, but twenty seconds would be a hard cap I can't break!"

"Good thing it'll only take fifteen seconds to pull off." Accelerator replied. "I'm going to turn that fucking useless slab of concrete into a god damn rocket, and smash that monster with it!" As he finished, Rider laughed, seemingly amused by Accelerator's strategy.

Rin stood as she tried to process what she was being told. She could tell Accelerator was strong, but she didn't know if he was so powerful that he could rip a ten-story tall office building out of the ground, let alone use it as a projectile.

It mattered little, because as long as the monster was attacking them, they could risk the building being destroyed before Accelerator could even weaponize it.

"…Then we need a distraction then, something to keep that thing off of our backs while we get into position and I prepare the spell." Rin replied. "I have gems that can act as flash bombs, but I don't think that would distract it for very long."

"Hey Rider, you said before that you only had one more use out of that dimension technique; after Caster charging your battery up, you could use it again without much issue, right?" Accelerator called out. Rider turned and grinned wide, realizing the plan.

"Of course! Though I could only contain such a beast for a short time, **Ionian Hetairoi** can definitely trap this demon inside!" Rider replied.

"Then do it!" Accelerator grabbed ahold of Rin and promptly shot into the sky, and Rider then turned his chariot to face the Demon God Halphas. He let out a loud battle cry as he drew is blade and charged forward, moving to dodge the incoming attacks as a white aura erupted from his body and enveloped the beast.

And in an instant, both the monster and Rider were gone.

Accelerator soared through the air with twisters coming from his back, Rin holding onto his body as they flew. It wasn't long before they reached the building and Accelerator ended his flight and dropped down almost instantly. Rin was scared at the sudden action but put her trust in the white-haired esper. The two hit the ground, landing in an alleyway behind the building, and Accelerator used his ability to nullify the impact force completely.

"I still… don't understand how you can do things like that…" Rin commented, more than happy to be on solid ground again.

"My ability is classified as Vector Change. Basically, any force that comes into contact with me, even if I'm the one who causes it, I can alter the magnitude and the direction freely. More than a little bit handy, wouldn't you agree?" Accelerator joked.

"I see… so that's your esper ability… yet you must have mana to have been selected to receive a servant, so you must practice magic, right?" Rin asked.

"Don't get your expectations high; the only magic I know is healing, and even that rebounds on me in more than a few nasty ways." Accelerator replied. Rin nodded in understanding.

She had heard from Touma what happens when an esper attempts magic, understanding that the only reason Tsuchimikado was the exception was because his ability involved regeneration to a certain extent.

Still, the ironic fact that such a devastatingly powerful person as Accelerator was only able to use magic to heal was not lost on her.

"Alright… I can reinforce the structure, but it'll only be able to stay that way for twenty seconds. After that it will return to normal." Rin stated, putting her hands on the building in front of her.

"That will be just fine." Accelerator thrust his hand into the structure, his hand sinking in as if it was slipping through water.

Rin didn't know how Accelerator could do such a thing, but she could feel the effects.

For a brief time, the world's rotation stopped.

Shortly after, the loud roars and screeches of the Demon God returned; Rider must have hit his limit for containing such a powerful monster. Accelerator let out a loud scream of his own as the building suddenly shot upward, somehow remaining completely intact as the structure was suddenly ripped out of the ground.

Rin didn't need a signal; she knew that the time to act had come. She quickly channeled every ounce of her mana; siphoning more from the jewelry she carried with her to sustain herself. Glowing circuitry spread all over the building, covering every inch of its interior and exterior. She did not stop until every last portion of the structure was affected.

"It's done! Do it now!" Rin shouted. Accelerator pulled his arm out of the building and punched forward, smashing it into the structure. A loud sound was heard as the building shot off like a missile, destroying the street below as it moved. The Demon God realized the danger, and quickly began to assault the structure with everything it possibly had, but with the speed and reinforcement, it was too late.

The reinforced structure smashed into the Demon God like a cannon ball. The impact caused severe structural damage to the creature, and the force uprooted it from its pool. The building toppled over on top of the Demon God as it tried to recover from the injury, effectively crushing it under its weight.

The group could see the destruction of the other two happen shortly after; only one remained that blocked their entry into whatever realm the reflective sphere contained.

Or at least, so they thought.

 **-North Side, Demon God Flauros-**

"Alright… bad news, this Demon God thing is abnormally resilient!" Touma shouted.

"Tell me something I don't know you moron!" Gilgamesh shouted back. Reluctantly, he had been firing off his artifacts at the Demon God at a rapid pace. The ship that he and Touma flew on was more than capable of evading whatever offensive the beast unleashed, but inflicting lasting damage seemed to be more than a chore.

Only his weapons that outright negated regeneration entirely seemed to have any kind of lasting effect.

"Damn… these things are definitely tough… If only these things weren't anchored here by Solomon, then I could just banish them with Imagine Breaker…" Touma gritted his teeth. Gilgamesh clicked his own in frustration.

He absolutely despised the idea, but he thought that he very well might have had to use Ea to annihilate the Demon God.

That's why he was delightfully surprised when Touma thought of an alternative solution.

"…Gilgamesh, I had a risky idea." Touma started.

"I'm listening."

"These monsters may be anchored down… but that sphere may not be. If it's a barrier just set-up to stop us, my Imagine Breaker might be able to smash right through it." Touma stated.

"Just a matter of getting close then… I can appreciate the simplicity." Gilgamesh replied. They moved to dodge the incoming attacks as they made their approach.

As they moved, they could see the destruction of the other demon gods. It was then that they noticed an oddity.

The effects were two fold; more Demon Gods seemed to sprout outside the area, bursting from the ground all around, but the more important detail was that the reflective sphere began to crack. It wasn't long before a reflective shell broke completely, revealing a rift that emitted a bright white light. Though the Demon Gods were coming out in much greater numbers, the path appeared to be clear.

"…Change of plans, can you take us right down inside that thing!?" Touma shouted.

"I would recommend holding on." Gilgamesh moved his hands and the wings of Vimana narrowed, going for a more aerodynamic look as it shot down, aiming for the rift. The ship pulled up at the last second to fly straight as they drove into the rift; vanishing instantly as they passed through.

Vimana hit the ground hard inside the new realm, neither one able to tell that the white mass below their feet was the ground. They quickly disembarked, taking in the new dimension they resided in, and in their search found Susanoo and Solomon only a fair distance away, eyeing the two as the suddenly appeared in their hidden location.

They both appeared both confused and irritated that their realm had been invaded. But that wasn't the only oddity.

Even from the distance they stood from their targets, they could tell that Solomon's left arm was completely missing.


	22. The Fall

**Showdown time...**

 **I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

With the barrier down, the path to a pocket dimension was opened.

But before such an event took place, a battle raged within this hidden world.

The King of Magic, Solomon squared off against the Silver Star, Aleister Crowley.

Aleister found a way to bypass Solomon's negation of magecraft. With that a war between mages commenced; spells both new and old erupted forth in the wide open white plane. Solomon used ancient magic long since forgotten by even the oldest of magi, while Aleister fought back with an entire network of curses that originated from the original world that Aleister pulled into the new one effortlessly.

The battle turned when Aleister managed to disguise an assault with his Blasting Rod under a layer of a curse. When Solomon moved to counteract the affliction, he revealed the assault far too late for him to counter, and it collided with his left arm and exploded, severing his arm and sending it across the white plane.

Solomon attempted to recover his appendage, but was caught off guard by a follow-up attack and was forced to block it. Using the opportunity, Aleister dashed for the arm, taking it with great speed.

"You accursed fool… return my arm to me at once!" Solomon demanded. Aleister's eyes narrowed lightly as he held up the appendage. One by one, he pulled the rings from each finger. Solomon mentally cursed; the rings gifted to him by God were Aleister's real target.

"With these, you enter the realm where any practitioner has at least a small chance to defeat you, isn't that right?" Aleister mocked. He discarded the arm and simply held the rings in his hand.

"What the hell do you want my rings for!? They were gifted to me by God himself; your hands sully the material from which they were forged…!" Solomon shouted angrily. The angry tone seemed to have little influence over Aleister.

"Indeed; they are testaments to not only a god's grace, but a god's power… and there is much that can be learned by examining a construct of a god's will, but I don't think I need to explain that to you. After all; you invented the modern system of magic from these very rings, isn't that right?" Aleister asked.

Solomon narrowed his eyes, examining the past and what he could envision of the future within his mind. His eyes widened when he came to a conclusion.

"You… you intend to declare war on the gods themselves...!" Solomon spoke in a shocked tone, finally able to clean out a reason for Aleister's sudden assault against him. The silver-haired man across from him did not respond.

He could not envision Aleister's future fully, as he was a being capable of changing fate with his actions. The only things he could predict involving him were events were absolutely certain, as in no matter what happened the end result would be the same.

And he envisioned that with his knowledge gained by studying his own rings in hand, Aleister would assault a sect of Magic Gods that would appear in Academy City, and that their demise within Academy City's walls was certain.

Either by Aleister's own hand or otherwise.

"You... your quest for revenge goes that far?" Solomon asked.

"Your own mission was the complete obliteration of mankind; at least it was until recently… you don't have the right to criticize me or my goals." Aleister replied.

"Humanity is a waste of space…corrupt and arrogant to the core! Their death is a benefit to the entirety of existence! But as a Magic God, I can change that! I can make them a proud, mighty species! Only the power of a god can do that!" Solomon retorted.

"I think not… it was the gods of this world who led humanity down this path you despise so much after all." Aleister replied. "I am done here; I have much better things to do than listen to the last whispers of a ghost." Aleister aimed his Blasting Rod at Solomon, but was cut off from his assault when a massive gust of wind erupted forth. Susanoo had returned, and had brought an entire hurricane of wrath with him as he hastily charged and struck with his Ame-no-Habakiri. Aleister managed to block the attack with his Blasting Rod, using its enchantments to block the blade's power, and quickly leapt backwards, floating in the air.

"Get down here you scum; the skies cannot protect you from the God of Storms!" Susanoo shouted angrily.

"It would seem that the time allotted for our meeting has ended, Solomon." Aleister spoke, seemingly ignoring Susanoo, much to the Magic God's annoyance.

"Coward! You see the tables flipped and you turn and run!?" Solomon shouted.

"No… rather, it seems that my activity is no longer required here… I hope your return to the Throne of Heroes is pleasant…" Aleister spoke in a mocking tone before he suddenly vanished without a trace. Susanoo shouted angrily, his power surging forth.

The trip to the Windowless Building was a trap. A wide variety of mechanical constructs awaited him when he forced his way inside, with no man to be found. He relented his siege when he felt Solomon's mana change due to his injury, and made a quick retreat to save the one man he had found who would wake his brother and sister.

Susanoo was officially angry; he wanted nothing more than to crush the head belonging to that man who assaulted his partner for tricking him.

But his revenge would have to wait, as the sound of some kind of vehicle crashing quickly caught their attention.

 **-Present Time, Outside the Rift-**

"What the hell is happening!?" Shirou shouted. After dispatching their respective Demon Gods, they decided to form together once more as they noticed the rift opening and more Demon Gods bursting from the ground.

"It seems like there was a massive fluctuation in mana." Index stated. "The instability of mana flow seems to have called more Demon Gods here… for such an event to occur when someone as powerful as Solomon is controlling them… something devastating must have happened…"

"What could have happened? He is… or was isolated within that rift…" Rin commented.

"That's another thing… the barrier around the rift is gone; Gilgamesh and Touma flew straight into it… it feels like a trap." Tsuchimikado spoke.

"Ok, Demon Gods? Solomon? Is someone going to fill me in or what!?" Mikoto shouted. Just then an earthquake could be felt as a flurry of tentacles erupted from the ground just up the street, racing toward the group, obviously an attack by one of the Demon Gods as they recognized the group of magus, espers, and servants as a threat. A barrage of missiles from the still airborne ship under Berserker's control quickly eradicated them. With the barrage, Thor jumped down off the ship and after the assault; Berserker joined the group as well.

It was once again noted that Berserker was no longer hostile with Saber.

"So; how's the party everyone? Are we all getting our fair share of bloodshed in?" Thor joked.

"Now's not the time…" Shirou stated. "…By the way, where the heck did you get that ship, anyway?"

"…Borrowed it." Thor replied unconvincingly. "Missiles are all out though; it's kind of just a flying chuck of steel now."

"Enough chatter, what are we going to do now?" Rin asked forcefully.

"…I'm seeing a lot more of those tentacle things on the other streets… if I had to guess, the fuckers are trying to make their way into the rift. Solomon must be in come kind of deep shit…" Accelerator stated as he looked around.

"Why doesn't he just summon his monsters inside to his own defense?" Saber questioned.

"Not really a good time to question why… though it's probably related to these things out here freaking out in the first place." Lancer stated.

"Lancer; where is your master?" Saber asked. Lancer put a finger up to his lips and winked. "…Sneaking around? He must know that he cannot hide his presence from Solomon, correct?"

"I wouldn't criticize his ability to mask is presence… he could be anywhere if you catch my drift…" Lancer replied.

"So; the monsters are summoned outside but want inside to assist their master… the obvious strategy is to stop them until Susanoo and Solomon are defeated." Assassin stated.

"But… can Gilgamesh and Kamijou-san take on those two on their own?" Caster asked.

"I'm not going to wait to find out; I'm heading inside." Shirou stated.

"…A wise decision." Assassin stated. He pulled out his Thompson Contender and loaded it, the gun clicking when he was finished. "…Heroic Spirit or not, a magus is still a magus, wouldn't you agree?" Shirou looked surprised at first, but smiled when he understood what Assassin meant.

"You can count me in." Rin stated. "I may not care for Gilgamesh, but Kamijou-san has been a very gracious host and ended up being a good friend; I can't think of abandoning him now."

"I agree entirely. Regardless of his partner, Touma is a good man. I cannot overlook his deeds in aiding us; I shall return his generosity in kind." Saber stated. "Let us share our blades with him, so we can end this once and for all!"

"…So that idiot is in there huh?" Mikoto asked, looking at the rift. She then eyed the group of four getting ready to travel inside. "…You guys make sure he gets home safe, ok?"

"Don't you want to head in there and save him yourself, Miko-chan? " Thor called out, Mikoto immediately blushing. "You can be the grand hero who earns his love and affection! There's no need for you to confess if he makes the first move after all!"

"S-shut up you blond piece of crap! I-I know what I'm doing!" Mikoto replied. "I-It's just that I'm more useful out here! That's all!"

"If you say so, Miko-chan." Thor shrugged. Mikoto seemed to turn a deeper shade of red.

"…It's no problem, Misaka-san. We will make sure he returns safe and sound, no matter what." Shirou responded. Mikoto turned for a time before smiling, accepting his answer.

"What about you Thor? You've been wanting to pound on a Magic God for the past week." Rin asked in a somewhat cheerful tone. Thor smiled but shook his head.

"Nah; I'm on the same boat as her." Thor replied. "My best magic only works in this world; I wouldn't be much help in that one. But if you can drag either one of them out here, then we'll talk."

"Archer, Berserker. Do you wish to accompany me?" Saber called out. Berserker turned to face her but did not speak.

"We will guard here, my king.' Archer spoke for them both. "This is not only the entrance to an enemy's land, but it is an entry way for enemy forces and also your route of escape. We will do whatever we can to protect it." Saber nodded in agreement, smiling at them.

It felt wonderful to be fighting alongside two of her companions once more.

"What about you Accelerator?" Shirou asked. Accelerator clicked his teeth, but turned and grinned regardless.

"I'm not the hero of this story, pal." He answered. "Feels better to be out here… you go fight for your lives. I'll make sure nothing gets through."

"Alright… I understand." Shirou replied. "Ok! Last call! If you're not coming with us, you're running defense of the rift! Last chance to head inside!" Shirou shouted loud. Most of other others seemed to agree that their best roll would be to defend the rift rather than travel inside, with only a single exception.

"Index-san, shall we go? Kamijou-san will need support." Caster asked. Index gave a sad smile as she looked down.

"I know… but…" She looked off for a moment. "Can… can you look after him for me?"

"But… don't you want to go…?" Caster asked, confused.

"I do… I really do but…" She trailed off again. "…My specialty is assisting with magical knowledge, but Solomon is much older than I am; he has magic I have never heard off… I only know about the Lesser Key of Solomon because it was one of the many grimoires I have memorized…" She trailed off again.

"…I see… I'm sorry Index-san…" Caster replied.

"I can't use my own mana to preform magic in the state I'm in because of the church... but… you can." Index looked up, appearing a little more cheery. "You can keep him safe from things I cannot." Caster was taken aback at the sudden praise "Caster…" Index clasped her hands together, is if she was praying, and one of her command seals shone a bright red. "Use every ounce of power you have to keep everyone safe! I beg you!" One of Index's seals vanished and Caster's mana supply was refilled once more. Caster looked at Index after the event, and gave her a confident smile.

"I will." Caster answered simply. With that she joined the group of four, and all five of theme entered the rift, ready to fight.

 **-Same Time, Inside the Rift-**

"So… they found their way here after all… of all the times…!" Solomon grunted. His missing arm throbbed at the shoulder where it was separated.

"It seems that the Grand Caster has been wounded! How unfortunate!" Gilgamesh mocked. Solomon gritted his teeth and focused magical power into his shoulder, and it triggered a regenerative effect; a new arm grew to replace the missing one.

Though his arm was back, his rings were not.

"Gilgamesh… I only see five rings on him…" Touma stated.

"As do I… with that, his abilities will have diminished; it would appear that the great Susanoo is vulnerable at long last." Gilgamesh replied.

"Me? Vulnerable?" Susanoo spat angrily. "You had a chance to live, and you throw it away in an attempt to defeat me? I will paint these white floors with your blood, Demi-God!"

"Defeat you? You misunderstand, Susanoo…" Gilgamesh replied. "I didn't come here to defeat you; I came here to kill you! Do you hear me!? I will repay the assault you gifted me with one of my own, and my assault will not halt until you are nothing but a brutalized corpse!"

"Kill me…?" Susanoo drew the longer of his two blades. **"Ame-no-Habakiri!"** He then drew the shorter of the two blades. **"Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi!** These two blades will be your end!"

"Just two? I have over one-thousand blades ready to tear your body asunder, Magic God!" Gilgamesh called out, an array of golden rifts forming behind him with weapons ready to fire.

"…Don't worry about Solomon, I'll handle him. You keep everything you got trained on Susanoo." Touma stated.

"You speak as if I had not already intended to do so." Gilgamesh replied. With that, all of his weapons fired simultaneously at Susanoo, who moved to block the onslaught of weaponry with his two blades. Touma used this as cover to circle around and get close to Solomon who quickly made distance between the two.

"You have sealed your fate this day, Kamijou Touma! I, Solomon, King of Magic, will send you to the afterlife! Hold your head high, for you may be chosen to walk among us in the Throne of Heroes for your actions this day!" He spoke, preparing an array of magic spells.

"Give it your best shot! If you thought I was just going to stand idly by and let you do as you pleased with the world, I'm going to shatter that illusion of yours!" Touma shouted, charging head first to engage the King of Magic. A variety of magic spells fired simultaneously. Blasts of fire, torrents of water, storms of wind, and bolts of lightning all rained down as Touma ran.

He was quick to react to each offensive maneuver, dodging with quick movement or blocking numerous assaults with his right hand. When he got close, Solomon erected a wall of energy; Touma smashed right through it in an attempt to drive his fist into Solomon's body. He quickly sidestepped Touma's attack, using the slight delay caused by his barrier to his advantage, and fired a close range spell that sent Touma flying. Though he hit the ground hard, Touma rose to his feet once more and resumed his assault on the King of Magic.

Susanoo soared through the air, evading Gilgamesh's barrage with his rapid movements. Gilgamesh quickly learned Susanoo's patterns and unleashed his Enkidu chain to wrap around Susanoo's left arm, the one that held the shorter blade; Enkidu's strength grew stronger with the more divinity the target had, so an opponent like a Magic God would surely never be able to break free with brute force alone. He was caught off guard however when Susanoo cleaved through his restrained arm with the longer blade and quickly charged down at him, unleashing a mighty swing the moment he landed.

Gilgamesh managed to pull himself out of harm's way with a quick action of Enkidu, and immediately unleashed a barrage of his blades once more. Susanoo flew backward, dodging and deflecting the assault until he came to his severed arm, which still gripped the shorter sword tightly. He stabbed the longer blade into the ground and kicked up the shorter of the two in the same motion, gripping and swinging it with his one arm. The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi unleashed a violent blast of wind; the air current was so powerful it completely reflected Gilgamesh's onslaught, sending the blades back at him.

Defending against his own artifacts was easy, but Gilgamesh quickly grew frustrated when he saw Susanoo reattach his severed arm simply by slamming it into the stub that was left behind. Susanoo quickly redrew both of his swords and charged at Gilgamesh once more, soaring through the sky.

"It would appear that this is a mismatch." Solomon spoke. He continued his attack on Touma, using arcane magic that felt as though it was older than the world itself; destroying and scorching the white earth below as he cast each spell. "This contest was over before it began; give up."

"Not a chance. This body of mine isn't going to stop moving until your face connects with the dirt, Solomon!" Touma charged forward once more, ignoring his injuries. Solomon smirked as he raised his hand high.

"Very well; then you can run for eternity in the depths of hell!" Solomon raised his hand up into the air, channeling a magic spell. A mystic circle appeared and several more joined it, each one overlapping each other.

Touma didn't know what spell Solomon was casting, but he could feel the air turn sour as it charged.

He would never see what magic Solomon attempted to use; a gunshot rang out through the vast empty space and blasted right through the King of Magic's hand. Solomon shouted in pain, but was quick to react to a barrage of bullets flying toward him and quickly erected a barrier to block. However, this left him open as Touma approached from the side, smashing his right hand into Solomon's face, sending him straight into the ground.

Imagine Breaker did its work, negating the spell gathering in the air as its mana supply was suddenly cut off. A black and red blast slammed into Solomon's chest, exploding and launching the King of Magic backward. Touma stood panting, as he heard a voice call out to him.

"Kamijou-san! Are you alright!?" Rin called out, Assassin close behind with his submachinegun in one hand and his Thompson Contender in the other.

"…Yeah, I'm fine, what are you two doing here?" Touma shouted, running over to the group. In select areas he felt his body start to heal slowly, one at a time, and the he noticed Caster close by.

"As long as it's just localized healing… I can take care of you just fine." Caster commented.

"Let us back you up; it isn't just you're city this guy wants to take control of." Rin stated. Touma looked over the group for a time, and then nodded, turning his attention to Solomon, who was back on his feet and appearing furious.

"Let's take him down!" Touma shouted as he charged forward once more.

Gilgamesh was forced into close combat as he drew a blade form his treasury. Susanoo's speed was proving much more than he could handle to effectively engage at range, and the Magic God quickly closed the gap.

"You appear to be pressured… is this all you have, Demi-God?" Susanoo provoked. Gilgamesh gritted his teeth; if he had the opportunity to use Ea, Susanoo would no longer be a threat.

Ea's ultimate attack, Enuma Elish, could erase even a magic god like Susanoo. The attack opens an abyss capable of crushing all of creation inside of it, reducing everything caught by the attack to nothing by creating a pseudo-fault in time and space that pulverizes all who oppose it. It is a truly frightening tool, even to a mighty opponent like Susanoo.

Gilgamesh did his best to fend off each violent strike, but it was becoming more and more difficult as Susanoo seemed to be getting faster and stronger with each attack. He unleashed his weapons at every possible moment, but they failed to leave any lasting damage upon the Magic God; only the select few weapons that negated regeneration seemed to faze him, but this only increased Susanoo's anger.

It was quickly becoming apparent that Susanoo's power was tied to his fury. The more enraged he became, the more powerful his strikes were.

Gilgamesh gritted his teeth; Enkidu failed to ensnare him; Susanoo had felt the effects and refused to be caught by it once more, and thus skillfully avoided each attempt. Eventually Susanoo managed to disarm Gilgamesh, and immediately held his longer blade up high, intending to cleave the golden king in half.

A gust of wind could be felt, and in an instant Saber appeared, slamming her petite shoulder into the Magic God with great force, and using the opportunity to slash the Magic God across the chest. Though the blow was superficial, it was more than enough to create distance between Gilgamesh and Susanoo.

"So… you came after all." Gilgamesh spoke.

"Don't misunderstand my intentions." Saber warned. "If it was not for the strength of the man before us, I would have let him cut you down." She then moved in front of the demi-god, standing in-between him and the Magic God. "Truth be told… I would rather be part of the assault on Solomon… but I feel that Touma's own capabilities in dealing with magic are more than enough."

"So you have absolute confidence in him?" Gilgamesh questioned.

"Of course I do… and If you didn't, would you have let him fight Solomon on his own?" Saber replied. Gilgamesh grinned.

"That tongue of yours has gotten sharper since I've been away… Heh… I wouldn't expect anything less…" Gilgamesh replied, seemingly amused by Saber's defiant attitude. Susanoo quickly attempted a counter attack, but a blast of air erupted from the god's right, smashing into him as the razor winds tore his body asunder.

It was just like the attack unleashed by Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi.

In fact; it was the attack unleashed by Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi. A small distance away, Shirou stood with the mighty blade in his hand. It was a projected version, and thus somewhat less powerful, but just as effective.

Though his long sword, Ame-no-Habakiri, was a divine construct that could not be replicated, the short sword Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi proved to be a completely different story.

"Are you alright, Gilgamesh?" Shirou asked in a serious tone. Gilgamesh let out a chuckle.

"To think that you two of all people would be ones to come to my aid…" Gilgamesh laughed lightly.

"Don't make that mistake; we aren't here to help you. We're here to beat him; nothing more, nothing lass" Shirou stated. Gilgamesh's smile did not fade.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend… so be it then." He spoke before turning his attention back to Susanoo. "Your time is nearing its end, Magic God. I wonder if it is possible for complete divine beings such as yourself to be recorded in the Throne of Heroes. I suppose we are about to see…!"

"You mock me for the last time, Demi-God! Come! I will grind you all into dust!" Power exploded from Susanoo's being. Storm clouds started to gather over-head; Susanoo's title as the God of Storms was starting to make sense.

Shirou charged forward holding his projected Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi in both hands, slashing at the Magic God. Susanoo moved to dodge, but suddenly found that his legs were bound by Enkidu; Gilgamesh must have let the chain's loose once more while Susanoo was unleashing his power. With that, he was forced to meet the blade with his own. After a short struggle, Susanoo came on top when he unleashed wind to forcefully remove the projected blade from Shirou's hand.

"This ends now, mortal!" Susanoo brought his blade up in the sky, and began to bring it down. Shirou gritted his teeth as a bright light shone in Shirou's right hand; just like when he forms his projected weaponry.

"I couldn't agree more… eat this you bastard!" Shirou shouted as his projected finished; revealing a glowing stake.

The very same as the one created by the, "Turn into a Fairy," spell. Shirou did not cast the spell; he merely projected the stake that the spell created.

Though it was just a projection, and thus its effectiveness would be reduced, but proved to still be a devastating tool when Shirou slammed it into Susanoo's chest. Susanoo froze, blood suddenly gushing from his mouth. Shirou quickly leapt backward to create distance between the two, unsure of how long his pseudo-Fairy Spell would hold.

"Saber! Hit him now before the projection fades!" Shirou shouted. Susanoo turned with his eyes wide as he dealt with the stake's effects, gazing upon Saber as she held up the glowing Excalibur.

This would be the last time she would be able to use Excalibur if Saber wished to remain in this world. She swung the blade down without a moment's hesitation once the mana was sufficient.

" **Excalibur!"** Saber shouted, unleashing a magnificent blast of yellow energy that quickly enveloped the weakened Magic God, trapping him in its destructive power as the blast hit him.

"No… damn it all! Susanoo!" Solomon called out. He had little time to act as he was forced to create yet another barrier to block a series of explosives thrown by Assassin.

"You should be worrying about yourself!" Rin rushed forward with great speed own due to the reinforcement on her limbs, slamming a harsh palm-strike into the King of Magic's stomach. She went for a follow-up with both of her fists but Solomon caught them both, holding her at bay.

"You're not the only who knows reinforcement magecraft, and on top of that, a Servant will always be stronger than a human… take this knowledge with you to the grave, you wretch!" Solomon spat.

"I know a way or two to even the playing field, you bastard!" Touma shouted from behind as he slammed right fist into the back of Solomon's head. On contact, Imagine Breaker negated the reinforcement Solomon used on himself. Rin used the opportunity and used her enhanced strength to break Solomon's hands during his daze. He shouted in pain, and Touma came from behind put him in a headlock, making sure Imagine Breaker was always making contact with Solomon's body.

Imagine Breaker not only negated Solomon's reinforcement, it also completely cut off his mana flow. And as an unfortunate side effect of that, Solomon's clairvoyance skill was also completely and utterly stopped, leaving the King of Magic at a loss.

"Tohsaka-san! Let him have it!" Touma shouted. Rin grinned, and immediately started to rapidly punch Solomon up and down his torso; her reinforcement displaying its effectiveness as each strike caused Solomon to cough up blood. Touma let go as Rin went for her last strike; an uppercut straight into Solomon's chin with enough force to launch him into the air. Assassin didn't waste this opportunity, and formed his sniper rifle and unloaded the clip into Solomon's torso, though he was unable to aim for any fatal spots specifically due to the speed.

Solomon hit the ground hard, his body punctured by several bullet holes and covered in bruises from Rin's assault. The combination of Assassin's marksmanship, Rin's magic ability, Touma's unpredictability and negation, and Caster's magic to heal any wound Solomon could inflict, proved to be too much for Solomon to handle alone.

The golden light from Excalibur faded, the ground burned black by the attack. A fair distance away, Susanoo laid on his back; his body still very much intact but otherwise not moving. The projected Fairy Stake seemed to have been destroyed by Excalibur's attack. The Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi also appeared to be broken, unable to withstand the blast; only his long sword, Ame-no-Habakiri, remained.

"Sus…anoo…!" Solomon called out. He used healing magic on himself, but to say that he was physically exhausted from the onslaught was an understatement. He slowly stood, panting heavily.

"It's over, Solomon." Touma shouted. "This war is finished. Hand over the Lesser Grail or else."

"Hand… it over… he says…!" Solomon gritted his teeth. "I am far from finished you brats!" He shouted loud.

Susanoo's finger twitched.

"Is all of this really worth it to you!? Look at yourself; you're tearing yourself to shreds so you can live again!? What the hell is worth something like this!?" Touma shouted. Solomon gritted his teeth and shouted out loud.

"Humanity is garbage that continues perpetuating a foolish history; the single greatest waste of space in the universe! But I can fix that…! I can set everything right how it should be! Humanity wasted the gifts of magic, but I can make humanity use them properly!" Solomon held his hands into tight fists; so tight in fact that his fingernails dug into the palms of his hands and drew blood.

"You can't do that; your time has passed Solomon. The mistakes humanity has made is something us humans will have to repair ourselves; it is our responsibility to fix it, not yours!" Touma shouted again, trying to drive his point home.

But his pleas fell on deaf ears.

"I am done playing around with insects!" Solomon shouted. The clouded sky suddenly opened up, revealing bright ring of light that seemed to stretch infinitely cross the horizon.

"What… is that…!?" Shirou shouted.

"This… is my Noble Phantasm you fools! You have brought this upon yourselves!" Solomon replied.

"Assassin!" Shirou turned to see his servant already loading his Thompson Contender and taking aim. He fired; aiming precisely at Solomon's chest. The bullet was deflected when Susanoo suddenly rose once more, dashing in front of Solomon and blocking the bullet with Ame-no-Habakiri; Assassin's Noble Phantasm was extremely effective at piercing magical objects, but apparently not even it could break a divine construct like Susanoo's blade.

"Die in agony, mortal filth!" Susanoo shouted.

"That attack… has more than enough power to wipe us all out…!" Rin stated, feeling the full front of the magical energy.

"Everyone… put your trust in me." Caster stated. "Use every single defensive ability you can; I will reinforce them myself." Strings shout out of magic circles forming all around her.

"I suppose I must in a situation like this…" Gilgamesh stated, opening his rifts to call fourth artifacts, preparing to use them in his defense.

"Invisible Air will do its part." Saber stated, holding up her blade.

"I can cover us all with Rho Aias if it's an attack like that… but do you think it will hold…?" Shirou asked.

"It must…! Even if the best we can do is prevent our death, it must!" Caster shouted. One after another, those capable of producing a defense did so, using every ability they had. Caster covered them all with her wires to increases their defensive strength somewhat.

At the last minute however, Touma dashed out from the defensive fortification.

"Kamijou-san! What the hell you are doing?!" Shirou shouted.

"Something incredibly stupid that I'm going to regret, but if it works we'll be able to pull this off!" Touma shouted back.

"Touma! Get back, quickly!" Saber moved to attempt to leave the defensive area herself to try and save Touma, but Assassin stopped her.

"It's too late!" Assassin stated, as lights filled the sky.

"I don't even need to annihilate everything… yes, just that half of this world will do! Praise the luck you all hold; for nothing on this earth can surpass the power this Noble Phantasm… though your death is certain, it shall be quick… **Ars Almadel Salomonis!"** The lights form above bombarded the area. Solomon focused the assault on the group, leaving the one half of the area untouched, but the other blasted apart beyond recognition.

When the onslaught ended, the ring in the sky faded, Solomon's Noble Phantasm fully unleashing its payload. The group of humans and spirits were scattered, badly wounded and unconscious.

"How quaint… they managed to block enough of it to survive…" Solomon stated. "It is unfortunate… none of them have the strength to face either of us now… their attempt at survival was worthless."

"One is still active, magician." Susanoo spoke.

True to his word, one survived the onslaught mostly unharmed.

Kamijou Touma managed to block the attack with his right hand as he dashed out from the defensive line his allies formed, and was approaching them all at a rapid pace, running as fast as he could.

"That boy…! Not even Ars Almadel Salomonis could destroy Imagine Breaker!?" Solomon spat.

"It is not a case of power… his right hand simply stopped its approach by reduces the offensive values to zero… your attack simply didn't have enough output to outweigh the negation rate." Susanoo spoke, his face turning serious.

Solomon was surprised by Susanoo's analysis.

"I shall deal with him myself." Susanoo charged forward with his remaining blade, assaulting Touma with a downward slash.

"Get out of my way!" Touma shouted, dodging the swift strike and retaliating with a punch across Susanoo's face. Angered, he violently smashed his head into Touma's, knocking him onto his back with the shock. Susanoo then stomped violently on Touma's chest, causing him to cough up blood.

"You managed to survive Solomon's attack, but that is not the same as being capable of defeating me!" Susanoo spat, applying pressure with his foot, causing Touma to cry out in pain. He aimed his blade at Touma's throat and thrusted, but Touma punched it with his Imagine Breaker; the blade shattered into a million pieces. Susanoo roared out in anger, and in an instant the shards of the blade flew back into their proper places; it was not repaired, as numerous cracks signified, but it still could be called a sword. It was as if Susanoo's rage alone forced the shards to combine once more.

A barrage of blades flew through the air, slicing open Susanoo's body and forcing him off Touma's body as they flew past. Susanoo angrily turned to face the direction it came from to see Gilgamesh standing, blood leaking from pervious parts of his armor.

"I'm going to make this clear, you pathetic fool… you can do whatever you wish with these mongrels, but there are only two among them I have any sort of positive emotions for… and your foot is on one of them…!" Gilgamesh spat.

"You are in no position to make demands of me, Demi-God!" Susanoo spoke. He aimed his blade at Gilgamesh, making it appear he was ready to engage him in battle once more.

Susanoo heard the pained cry of his Associate, Solomon. He turned to see a blast of energy colliding with the Grand Caster's side.

"Solomon…! I am getting tired of your vuln-" He was cut off with something pierced his body from behind. He felt his warm blood drip down his torso once more. He looked down, to see the sharp portion of something protruding from his chest.

He had been pierced from behind by the same person who had just attacked Solomon.

Fiamma of the Holy Right.

"You… wretch…!" Susanoo spoke. His body felt unusual; something was wrong. He could feel his power waning, slowly but surely. "What… did you do to me… this feels like…!"

"Emiya Shirou really did do a fine job replicating the Fairy Stake… but I'm afraid that is the real deal, Susanoo." Fiamma stated. "It's too bad Solomon didn't just carpet bomb the entire area… even with my abilities there's no way I could have avoided them all and stay hidden."

"Curse you… Fiamma…!" Solomon spat. "What the hell are you doing here…!?"

"What's wrong…? You seam displeased… you're the one who wanted to match arms with the Holy Right, correct?" Fiamma mocked. Solomon gritted his teeth angrily. "You may be able to see past, present, and future all at once… but it would appear you've gotten more than a tad distracted as you became more desperate… how sad…"

"You may have managed to strike Susanoo with the fairy spell, but I still can undo your magic with time…! Susanoo still has most of his power, and your allies lay scattered and useless! You may be strong, but you cannot defeat us both!" Solomon shouted.

"It seems like I wouldn't need to…" Fiamma stated. His gaze looked at the scorched earth Solomon left behind. The King of Magic observed himself, and was surprised to see Caster standing. She was just as heavily injured as everyone else, but she stood regardless.

"Solomon…!" Caster spoke, gritting her teeth as she managed to stand tall. "You power is great… far greater than mine could ever be… but you're not the only one who never revealed their Noble Phantasm!"

"Susanoo! Kill her, quickly!" Solomon called out, but Susanoo was already on his way to slay the female spirit.

"Gilgamesh!" Touma called out as he pushed himself to his feet, his command seal glowing a bright red. "Stop Susanoo at all costs!" With that, one of Touma's seals vanished, and Gilgamesh was filled with power once more. Gilgamesh smirked.

"With pleasure." With his sudden increase in stamina, Gilgamesh drew a blade from his treasury. But not just any Blade.

Ea once more resided in Gilgamesh's hands, its blade spinning.

Rather than stand back, Gilgamesh charged Susanoo, slamming his cylindrical sword against Susanoo's stopping him in his tracks.

"Still you defy me… Demi-God…!" Susanoo gritted his teeth.

"Until the very end…" Gilgamesh grinned.

"Now…The grail shall sing!" Caster held her hands out, a chalice forming in her hands. She lifted up her arms, and the chalice moved up into the air on its own, hovering a few feet above her. She then held her hands out from her sides, palms up, as mana from her body flowed into the chalice. Solomon reached up and fired a spell, hoping to destroy the chalice, but it was quickly intercepted by Fiamma.

"Curse you… curse you!" Solomon shouted.

"Stand back and watch the show. It's a once in a life time opportunity." Fiamma stated.

The chalice above Caster shone brightly, light covering the entire area.

" **Song of Grail: Sing Out, O White Grail!"** Caster shouted. The chalice then tipped over, and a pure fluid came down like a waterfall. It started slow, but then a massive torrent rained down, covering Caster. The pure water spread out, enveloping everything around her.

The black strained ground turned white once more at the water's touch. The liquid seemed to leap over and envelop all of Caster's downed allies, covering them entirely. It even leapt up and enveloped Gilgamesh himself.

Despite the long and wide range, it specifically only covered Caster's comrades in arms; it seemed to move and purposefully avoid both Susanoo and Solomon. It even chased down and covered Touma, though whatever fluid touched Touma's right had was erased, the rest still covered him.

The effect was immediate.

Those fallen in battle stood once more, the holy water still covering their bodies. After a short time, the chalice in the air vanished, and the liquid's flow ceased; the remaining fluid evaporating into the air almost instantly.

Shirou, Rin, Assassin, and Saber stood once more; not a single mark on their bodies. Gilgamesh's armor was washed clean of blood as Ea grinded against Susanoo's Ame-no-Habakiri. Touma stood fully once more, completely shocked that he was affected.

Solomon stood his jaw agape.

"How does it feel Solomon…? To have your entire chance of victory erased right before your eyes…?" Fiamma mocked.

"She had that… the entire time…!" Solomon spat, his eyes practically glowing with rage.

"I will not lie… I felt like I had little use in this war… but when I heard that you, Solomon, would be our opponent… I know that this is something only I could do." Caster stated. "My Noble Phantasm is the opposite of yours; you will destroy everything the light touches and mine will restore it… without fail…"

"Caster…" Shirou started, but then looked shocked to see Caster's body tremble and suddenly go limp, falling backwards. Assassin caught her; noticing a look of exhaustion on her face.

"To have that much of a reaction… her Noble Phantasm must have drained almost all of her mana…" Saber commented. Rin rushed to Caster's side, pulling out a few of the gems she carried.

"I still have a few pieces with mana inside… I'll transfer it before she fades! It should be enough to keep her alive!" Rin stated, quickly beginning her work.

"Iri…" Assassin said in a hushed tone; his own concern for her letting itself known.

"I will… not stand for this!" Solomon turned to face Fiamma to assault him. Gilgamesh smirked as he still locked blades with Susanoo.

"…Gilgamesh." Touma called out. "You've gotten as tired as I have with this fight… haven't you?"

"Of course... I have long since desired an end to this farce." Gilgamesh replied.

"Then end it." Touma stated. Gilgamesh's grin widened as Enkidu chains appeared behind Susanoo, wrapping around his body and pulling him high into the air. The King of Heroes held his blade up high as red energy erupted from the black cylindrical blade. Susanoo struggled with all of his strength against the chains but it did little to help him escape.

The ground began to crack. The sky began to fade into darkness. The true nature of The Sword of Rupture was finally making itself known in this foreign dimension.

"I will not die… I cannot die, you worthless Demi-God!" Susanoo shouted as he struggled against his binds.

"I would pray that you can… for if you truly cannot, what you are about to experience would make you beg for it!" Gilgamesh shouted. The pocket dimension continued to crumble apart. One act next sealed the world's fate.

" **Enuma Elish!"** Gilgamesh swung his blade at Susanoo, unleashing a giant blast of red energy as it enveloped Susanoo completely.

All that could be heard was the Magic God's roars of hate and rage as the world was completely destroyed.

* * *

A brief moment later, their eyes suddenly adjusted to a change in scenario.

They did not know if it was Gilgamesh's intention, or by the graces of God, but the group was back in Academy City.

The only one who resided in that Pocket Dimension who was absent was the Magic God Susanoo himself.

Solomon stood in the center where the rift had been. Everyone else was scattered around, but still in the immediate area. The destruction of the section of town was evident, but it became apparent that Solomon's Demon Gods had either been dealt with, or had left sometime during the confrontation.

Caster was laid down on the ground as Rin infused mana into her to keep her steady, and Index quickly rushed to her side to try and help however she could.

Everyone else stood, watching the King of Magic.

"You've lost, Solomon. There will not be a new Magic God in this era… well, at least if there is, it won't be you." Fiamma spoke.

"I… have not lost! I can still call my Noble Phantasm!" Solomon shouted, the sky above them starting to light up. "I have not lost… I will… I will!" Solomon shouted. He was about to speak further but the sound of a gun ended that. He looked down and felt his chest; a gunshot wound. Blood flowed through it freely, and even came up through his mouth. He slowly turned around to face the origin of the attack, only to see Assassin by Caster's side, holding his Thompson Contender; the gun still had smoke coming from the barrel.

"I've grown tired of you, Grand Caster Solomon." Assassin spoke. "Rot in hell, you son of a bitch."

Solomon succumbed to the effects of the special bullet. Without his magecraft, Solomon could no longer heal, as the round severed the magic circuits of his body. Solomon fell forward, landing with a loud thud as a pool of blood formed blow him.

The Lesser Grail fell from his body, landing a small distance away.

Solomon's body faded away into glowing dust. Out of a Grail War that ultimately had nine servants involved, the first finally fell in battle.

The group's job was not done however.

As a black sphere with a blue glowing outline formed in the night sky above.


	23. The Holy Grail

**And here we go...**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

The group stood around, contemplating what had just happened.

The Magic God Susanoo was gone; seemingly erased by Gilgamesh, along with Susanoo's dimension.

Solomon, The King of Magic, was dead; shot through the chest by Assassin's Thompson Contender.

Yet the heroic spirits did not fade nor feel the force that is the Holy Grail leave them as it would normally.

The Holy Grail War was still not over.

"Susanoo taken care of… Solomon dealt with… what do we do now?" Touma asked.

"Now; it would be safe to say that the Holy Grail War has normalized. No more interfering outside parties." Gilgamesh answered with his arms crossed.

"…So back to normal business then." Lancer commented, spinning his Gáe Bolg around. "So how are we going to do this… five minute head-start to split up, or are we going to have a free-for-all right here?"

"I… really don't understand what is happening here…" Mikoto commented.

"I suppose it really was too much to ask that dealing with Solomon and Susanoo would end things… huh?" Touma rubbed his head. People started to separate as they began to figure out sides to go on.

"The major conflict may be over… but this war is still very much active, it would seem." Rider commented.

"Pain in my ass… "Accelerator clicked his teeth.

"This is bad… Kamijou-san is a friend, but Gilgamesh…" Shirou slowly backed up.

"He'll only be an enemy until that golden bastard is dealt with… just focus on that." Rin commented.

"I'll free him from that golden monster's grasp myself; you don't need to worry." Saber stated, drawing her sword once more.

"With the primary threat to their existence gone, everyone is so quick to betray and split off from one another…" Gilgamesh commented. "The correct course of action would be for you all to come at me all at once; if that were the case you might stand a chance of killing me."

"…All this fighting and bloodshed for a simple golden cup, huh…" Touma commented, eyeing the lesser Grail on the ground. Oddly' it seemed to be standing up straight, despite falling over out of Solomon's grasp when he was killed. Slowly, Touma started to make his way over to the small chalice.

"What exactly are you doing, boy?" Gilgamesh asked.

"I'm sick of all of this." Touma stated. "If this little thing is what's causing all this carnage, then I'm going to smash it. Preventing chaos caused by this thing was my whole reason for getting involved anyway."

"I can't let you do that." Gilgamesh replied, calling upon his treasury once more to aim weapons at Touma's back. "If it were simply a treasure to me at this point, I would offer it to you for the sole purpose of its annihilation for all the trouble it has caused, but it has become apparent that I need it to craft a world worth ruling over."

"And I need it destroyed so it doesn't destroy the world I want to protect." Touma replied, turning back to face the king of heroes. "At least how it exists now; I can't let it take away all I've been working toward. I've already been through that once, and I'm not going to let it happen again."

"…So it would seem our duel is destined to continue." Gilgamesh replied.

"Looks like it." Touma replied. The parties involved glanced at one another as they prepared to make a move; either to escape or battle.

"…Seriously. All of this because of some stupid cup? There's an easier way to decide who gets it you idiots." Mikoto spoke up, walking over to the lesser Grail. She stopped as she was about to lift the cup, and took a few steps back holding her nose. "Guh! Seriously; that's disgusting!"

"What's wrong?" Index asked out of curiosity as she tended to the still weakened Caster.

"There's some kind of red stuff inside, and it smells like crap! What the hell are you intending to use this thing for, anyway!?" Mikoto replied, still holding her nose.

"Red… stuff…?" Caster called out as she sat up. "Oh no… get away from it! Quickly!" Almost immediately, a red tar-like liquid shout out of the lesser Grail, lashing out and covering the ground. Mikoto quickly jumped back to dodge the torrent of fluid. As the red liquid covered the ground, those around could see the concrete start to blacken and even ignite; the small section of the street burning as the fluid started to spread.

"The mud of the grail… Angra Mainyu's wrath… but only with one servant…!?" Caster panted. She was still exhausted from using her Noble Phantasm.

"To be fair, he was a stupid strong servant! Shit… is this what's supposed to happen or something!?" Lancer called out.

"I don't think so pal!" Tsuchimikado called out as the group started to separate to avoid touching the red liquid.

"We need to act on this… quick!" Shirou called out. Before he himself could act, Touma ran forward running into the Holy Grail's corrupted mud. Touma could feel the liquid burn his shoes shortly after entering, and opted to leap into the air, trying to reach for the lesser grail with his right hand.

"Stop right there! Don't you lay a single finger on that chalice, you fool!" Gilgamesh called out, preparing more weapons to fire. However, projected versions of each one intercepted each one as they fired; Shirou intervened to stop Gilgamesh. "You…! Damn faker!"

The red liquid knew the lesser grail was in danger, and promptly formed around the golden chalice and shot towards the flying Touma; only for the grail's mud to be negated and destroyed upon making contact with Imagine Breaker. Though the torrent was strong, Touma descended down unhindered.

The production rate of the mud, even as a defensive mechanism, was no match for Imagine Breaker's negation rate.

Touma slammed his hand down on the lesser grail as Touma's body hit the now barren and charred pavement; Imagine Breaker destroyed the red liquid as his right hand grasped the lesser grail.

A shattering sound was heard and the mud no longer flowed from the golden chalice. After a short time, it shattered like glass; the broken pieces falling to the ground harmlessly. Not a drop of the red liquid was left behind.

"…Takes care of that…" Touma commented. Gilgamesh clicked his teeth in frustration, but grinned after a short time.

"…Oh well." He spoke, crossing his arms. "I suppose this fits with what I want to see out of you anyway… one door closes and another opens… I may not get to see my ideal, but the path you travel may show me something just as intriguing…"

"Gilgamesh, you have your revenge, yet you still claim an interest in him. What is the meaning of this…?" Saber shouted, aiming her blade once more at the King of Heroes. "First you wanted knowledge about him, then you wanted him for revenge… what do you want with him now!?"

"…I want to see his own ideal." Gilgamesh replied. "The dream he desires most fully realized. I know the path he walks quite well; where one acting for one's self. Though his actions benefit those who surround him, he acts purely for his own desires."

"Are you honestly comparing him to you…?" Shirou spat.

"Of course. It is the path I walked from the day I was born into this world." Gilgamesh replied. "One could say… I see him as a proper rival of sorts, though what we want is different... though what we find to be moral and depraved are completely contradictory… and even though our actions to obtain what we desire or to eliminate what we despise couldn't possibly be any further apart from one another… we walk the same path. The path of one who lives and acts for himself."

"Is that all? You see yourself in him?" Saber gripped her blade tightly. "I refuse; he is nothing like you!" She looked ready to charge forward, but Shirou put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"…Even if his reasons are that simple, it doesn't matter." Shirou spoke.

"We've been with him for a while now… he once told us that, "You don't need a reason to save someone," I didn't understand that before… but I think that was his way of telling us he saves people because he wants to, like you said." Rin added. "To us, his reasons don't really matter that much, it is his actions that speak his character. That's why we stand with him."

"…He won't end up like you Gilgamesh. Not now, not ever." Saber stated. "He is a kind person with a good nature. Even if his desires are selfish, that nature guides his hand; a kind man like him will never become a beast like you."

"Of course he won't; it would be boring if he did." Gilgamesh replied. "I want to see where his path of selfish heroism leads… how he grows… how the world changes because of it all. This world is mine … and while it is mine his dreams cannot be realized."

"Then… what exactly do you want…?" Shirou asked.

"…It will seem strange… but I want to see if he can surpass me." Gilgamesh replied. "His adventures now are comparable to my own as I lived, you know. The only thing that was missing was defiance of the gods, and he accomplished that when he defeated the Magic God known as Othinus, and again here when he faced Solomon and Susanoo… I am interested whether it is possible if this boy who walks the same path as me is capable of surpassing the King of Heroes himself…"

"And if he does…?" Saber questioned, ready to strike.

"…Then I can rest peacefully in the knowledge that my world is in the hands of someone capable." Gilgamesh finished.

"…You have a lot of high expectations, you know that?" Touma spoke; he chose to keep quiet and wait for Gilgamesh to finish, somewhat so he could hear Gilgamesh's reasons in full. "And what's this about me being your rival? Last I heard you pitied this poor Kamijou's sad existence."

"Consider it a promotion. You should count yourself lucky that I have spared the time to have expectations about you at all." Gilgamesh retorted.

"…What should we do, Shirou-kun…?" Rin asked.

"I'm not… sure what we can do… they seem to have some kind of agreement…" Shirou rubbed his neck.

"Gilgamesh attempted to gain the grail again to purge the world… but shifted gears when that no longer was viable…" Assassin spoke. "He clearly has a priority on establishing the supposed world worthy of his rule… but as long as that's not possible, it seems he will not attempt to strike Kamijou down."

"That doesn't protect us any…" Rin commented in an annoyed tone.

"Hey! Quit spacing out!" Lancer shouted called out to the group. "Tell me; you two saw to the end of the fifth grail war, right?"

"Yeah; what about it?" Shirou replied.

"In that case… you wouldn't happen to know what the hell that thing is, would you!?" Lancer called out, pointing up into the sky. In the air a large black sphere with a blue glowing outline hovered in the air. A strange sound seemed to be coming from the sphere.

"That's… the greater grail…!" Caster commented. Suddenly, a rumble could be heard as a variety of magic based attacks suddenly rained down from the sphere, bombarding the area. The group was able to dodge them all, though the oddity quickly became clear.

"This feeling… this is Solomon's magic!" Caster commented.

"No way! Impossible! We just saw him get shot through the chest!" Lancer argued.

"…Think that his power and tenacity was so powerful, that he has somehow managed to hijack the greater grail when his spirit became one with it?" Fiamma mentioned.

"If he truly did bind himself to the Holy Grail so that he could use it… then it is definitely possible…!" Index commented.

"Simple attack though… easy to deal with…" Thor spoke up. "…He must not have completely secured control of it yet."

"He must be conflicting with Angra Mainyu for control…" Caster stated.

"…Then top priority would be stopping this before he manages to get enough control to use his Noble Phantasm." Assassin spoke.

"Crap… that attack could hit the entire world if he wanted it to, right!?" Shirou shouted.

"Caster… you said that Imagine Breaker could purify the grail, right?" Touma asked. "Even if it's just a theory, what would I have to do? It sounds like Solomon and Angra Mainyu are occupying the same space, so purification should stop this, right!?"

"It will either destroy the grail or purify it… it's our only option." Caster stated. "If you can reach inside… or travel within rather, you should be able to pull it off!"

"Hold on; you're telling him to go inside that thing?" Mikoto questioned.

"No way! That's too dangerous, Touma!" Index shouted.

"…If that's the only way." Touma replied, causing the two girls to start to worry. Just then the sphere in the sky unleashed another barrage of magic, accompanied by a sudden release of red liquid; the mud of the Holy Grail. Though the blasts they were capable of dealing with, the red liquid would quickly cause destruction all around if they weren't careful.

"Angra Mainyu's influence is unleashing the mud… while Solomon's uses spells to attack… we need to take care of this quickly!" Tsuchimikado said.

"…A list ditch effort, I see." Gilgamesh stated.

"Well, with a situation like this, it looks like the purge of the world is on its way." Touma said. "You sure this is how you want it?" Gilgamesh was silent for a time.

"…If I do that, Solomon wins." Gilgamesh stated. "It becomes his world at that point… and I can't let such an inferior man take control of what is mine." He turned to face Touma. "If you have approached me, then you must have a plan." He uncrossed his arms and put one hand on his hip.

"How do you use your treasury as a weapon? Can you just fire off whatever shows up in those gates however you want?" Touma asked.

"Of course; if it is within my treasury I have complete control over it without exception when using it as a projectile." Gilgamesh replied.

"…How about firing people out of it? Would that work?" Touma asked. Gilgamesh was surprised, but grinned.

"...If I were to put you completely inside, Imagine Breaker would more than likely destroy the gate… but even if you're only halfway inside, I can fire you out at will." Gilgamesh replied.

"Then we just need a way up there to fire me out… your ship crashed when it landed in the alternate world…" Touma said, putting his hand to his chin.

"Say no more." Rider suddenly put his hand on Touma's shoulder. "I heard everything; it is a bold plan that I must see for myself! Allow me to carry you both to battle!"

"It's annoying, but that's probably best." Accelerator stated. "I don't mind loaning you Rider for a while, but you better end this you fucking hero."

"We will control things down here; the red ooze and those spells are powerful but we can manage. As… long as you're absolutely sure this is how you want this to go." Rin stated.

"Touma… please…" Index hugged the boy's side. "Don't go… or I'll… I'll be really mad! There has to be another way!"

"…Don't worry about a thing." Shirou spoke, stepping forward. "I'll make sure he gets back safe. Leave it to me."

"You better not be lying… it's a bad idea to lie to girls like that you know." Mikoto warned. She was just as concerned as Index was, but had a much easier time restraining it.

"I'll do absolutely everything I can, I swear." Shirou relied.

"…Ok, but then you better make it back too! Otherwise Rin will end up really mad at you!" Index replied. Shirou looked at Rin, and she only nodded and smiled.

"It looks like they need a Hero of Justice... stay safe, Shirou-kun." She stated. Shirou smiled back at her and nodded.

"If need be, I can use Excalibur to destroy the Greater Grail, just like before." Saber stated. "I only have enough mana left to use it one more time… but at the very least it will stop it from destroying the city."

"What happens when a Servant runs out of mana?" Touma asked.

"After I use it, I will fade and return to the Throne of Heroes." Saber replied.

"…Only as a last resort, understand?" Touma replied. "Absolute last resort; only use it if you absolutely think that we are going to fail, alright?"

"I understand… but if I restrain myself like that, you all could end up hurt if my judgement fails…" Saber replied.

"I don't care; I trust you." Touma replied. "You'll know when to use it, if you even need to use it. Right now, I intend to end this once and for all… and when I make it back, I want to see everyone again, and that includes you, understand?" Saber was taken aback by his words. After a short time, she smiled and nodded at him, agreeing. She then turned to face Shirou, who seemed to agree with the sentiment, and nodded back at her as well.

"If everything is set, then we have a war to win!" Rider shouted, calling upon his chariot once more. Touma, Gilgamesh and Shirou boarded as Rider took the helm of the chariot and they took to the sky.

"To think I'd have to share this moment of triumph with you, Faker." Gilgamesh commented.

"If you don't like it, feel free to drop to your death, King of Heroes." Shirou replied.

"Now is NOT the time to be arguing!" Touma shouted. Attacks started to rain down much more frequently and accurately now, as Rider had to take effort to dodge them. Even jets of the red liquid shot out like a large hose; attempting to strike them out of the air.

"It would seem that the grail sees us as a threat my friends!" Rider shouted.

"I suppose now we'll see how good those projections of yours really are, Faker!" Gilgamesh shouted, making a variety of gates appear, his treasures forcing their way through and shooting off to intercept the attacks.

"Don't get so worked up; you're the star of the act this time you golden bastard!" Shirou shouted with a smirk; projecting copies of Gilgamesh's arsenal and launching them to aid in the defense.

"This is getting worse… the attacks are getting stronger…!" Touma shouted.

"We are almost level with the sphere! Tell me where to carry you for this raid!" Rider asked.

"Make it so we're at an angle at a higher elevation than it, and so that the left side of the chariot is facing the sphere; we'll handle the rest!" Touma shouted. Rider nodded and whipped his bulls to charge. It wasn't long before they were in the ideal position, but a large mass of the red liquid amassed, seemingly waiting to intercept.

"Leave it to me! Do whatever you got planned!" Shirou called upon a bow and the spiral arrow once more, taking aim. Touma turned toward Gilgamesh and nodded at him; Gilgamesh smirked in response. A rift formed over Gilgamesh's right shoulder, and an Enkidu chain shot out. It quickly wrapped around Touma's waist and pulled him into the rift, just enough so that the lower half of his body was hidden within.

"Alright! This unlucky Kamijou missile is loaded and ready!" Touma shouted, popping his knuckles. "Emiya-san! Fire that whenever you're ready; Gilgamesh will shoot me out when it's time!" The red liquid gathered up and started to form into what looked like a clawed hand; after a short time the hand erupted from the sphere, attempting to swat the chariot out of the sky.

" **Caladbolg!"** Shirou fired the spiral arrow into the hand; the arrow caused a massive explosion that obliterated the appendage in an instant. Not wasting any time, Gilgamesh fired Touma; the boy in question letting out a battle cry as he flew through the smoke with a chambered fist. The moment he saw the sphere, he threw out his fist, intent on smashing into the Greater Grail with everything he had.

His hand hit what felt like a steel wall, shattering the bones in his hand. He looked at the sphere only to see it suddenly incased in the same barrier that was around the rift into Susanoo's alternate dimension. He could seek cracks forming within the barrier on an endless loop, but they were quickly being repaired just as fast as they appeared.

The barrier was being supplied with power to repair itself faster than Imagine Breaker could negate it.

He didn't even have time to react as a torrent of the grail's mud erupted outward, engulfing him entirely and throwing him up into the sky.

"Kamijou-san!" Shirou shouted.

"We can't get close to that!" Rider shouted, his chariot pulling away. Shirou continued to watch; he saw what looked like an arm fall out of the red liquid; a right arm. A massive blast of energy quickly engulfed and destroyed it; the Holy Grail lashing out to destroy Imagine Breaker to save itself.

Shirou looked ready to jump out of the chariot and assault the Greater Grail himself, racking his mind for options to deal with the corrupted object. Down below, everyone was dealing with the mud to the best they could. Saber looked up for a moment, witnessing the event take place; seeing Touma be swallowed whole by the Mud of the grail. In reflex, she immediately began to charge up her final attack with Excalibur.

But a single thing stopped them both from acting.

The roar of a dragon.

Whenever Touma's right arm was severed, an incredible power was unleashed upon the world. A power that extended past Touma's right arm; The Invisible Thing. It would make its appearance in a variety of ways, depending on the situation.

And in this situation it took the form of a Dragon King once more.

A massive draconic head on an elongated neck roared out as it burst from the red liquid and quickly began to travel down the stream, the force of its charge breaking apart the red ooze and sending it in every direction. The stream's intensity increased but that only seemed to anger the Dragon King more as it roared out once more and continued its rampage, slamming into the barrier around the sphere, biting down on it.

The barrier cracked, but did not break, even under the Dragon King's mighty jaws.

That is when more dragons made themselves known. Eight more appeared, each one looking radically different from one another, and charged down as well.

Those on the ground that were once dealing with the sphere's assault now stood in awe as an army of dragons assaulted the Greater Grail. Confusion was apparent, except for a select few. Those in the sky were just as confused.

"What… the hell is happening…!?" Shirou asked.

"I have heard of this; the March of the Dragon King." Rider commented. "When a Dragon King attacks, all those subjugated below him attack as well, though I have no idea where these beasts could have come from…"

"They pour into this world from the stub that was Kamijou Touma's right arm…" Gilgamesh stated as he observed the event with his arms crossed.

"…Could that boy have somehow gained access to a dragon summoning spell? If he called forth the Dragon King, it would make sense that the beast would be able to call forth its legion…" Rider asked.

"No way… he can't use magic; Imagine Breaker prevents it…" Shirou answered. "Moreover… it's just their heads and necks… what is Kamijou-san doing…!?"

"He is not the one responsible." Gilgamesh stated. "When his arm was removed… something else entered this world… though I cannot say if that being is the one calling these beasts, or is in fact the beasts themselves…" He smirked. "That boy was holding out on me…! To think he had something like this hidden away all this time…!"

They had little more time to talk as the Dragons all roared out and slammed into the barrier, biting and gnawing at it from all sides. When that was unsuccessful the dragons wrapped their necks all around the sphere, tightening and crushing it. The barrier began to bend and crack once more; the assault was damaging it faster than it could be repaired. The main head roared out and smashed its head into the barrier once more, and finally it shattered.

The dragons coiled back as the Dragon King roared and charged down, seemingly intent on striking the greater grail once more.

But in an instant, they all shattered like glass, vanishing shortly after the barrier was broken.

Touma was seen falling down, looking straight at the greater grail once more. His right arm was intact; as if it had never been severed. The barrier started to reform, but it was too slow, Touma threw a fist forward and plunged right into the sphere, completely vanishing once inside.

A great cataclysm erupted forth. The sphere turned completely blue and shone brightly. It then seemed to spin uncontrollably before suddenly collapsing in on itself an exploding violently; the force shaking the ground.

Out of the explosion, a single body shot out.

It belonged to Kamijou Touma.

"Rider!" Shirou called out. Rider simply nodded as he whipped his bulls into action to chase down the rapidly falling Kamijou. It was becoming clear that they wouldn't be able to catch him in time; Shirou used his reinforcement once more and leapt out, rocketing towards Touma, but that didn't seem to be enough either. He would come up just short of catching him; he gritted his teeth and tried to project something to help him.

A single golden chain caught Touma's leg as he fell. Though it held him only for a moment before vanishing, it gave Shirou the opportunity he needed. He grabbed Touma and pulled him close, shifting it so his back was aimed toward the ground and making sure to grip the unlucky Kamijou tight. Shirou spread his reinforcement to his back, and projected a shield behind him as a last resort they crashed into the ground.

"…Your words were true then." Rider commented, referring to what Gilgamesh spoke about earlier. The King of Heroes simply smirked.

"I owed him my life. I am not one to live in debt like a dog, so now we are even; that's all there is to it." He stated. Rider laughed loudly and motioned his bulls to land.

Everyone gathered around the area where Shirou and Touma landed quickly.

"Shirou-kun! Are you ok!?" Rin shouted as he ran over, being followed quickly by Saber and Assassin.

"My back is sore… but… I think we're ok…!" Shirou replied. Rin let out a relieved sigh as Index and Caster joined the group as well.

"Touma! Is Touma ok!?" Index shouted as she ran over.

"He's out cold… but I can feel him breathing. He's going to be fine…" Shirou replied.

"Thank god…" Index hugged the unconscious Touma's left side.

"…Hold on." Assassin spoke up. "Look; his right hand."

Touma's hand was holding something; they didn't notice it at first due to its dark color in contrast with the blackened pavement.

It was a Holy Grail; it was completely black save for its decorations which were a dark red.

"…Angra Mainyu…?" Caster spoke in a confused tone. She reached out to the black chalice, but stopped when she saw it crack. Slowly but surely the Black Grail chipped and broke apart, eventually shattering completely, likely an effect of Imagine Breaker.

An odd feeling washed over the servants and their masters, and they could tell right away why; almost as if the information was directly implanted into their minds.

The Holy Grail War was over.


	24. A Certain War's End

**And finally, we have arrived at the final chapter of the Illegal Grail War.**

 **I have made some small changes/fixes to previous chapters to help stuff feel better, as well as to somewhat acknowledge certain oddities with this particular Holy Grail War. you don't need to worry though; You don't need to go back, changes were minor. Some of you questioning oddities revolving around the servants were the main thing to address with these changes, and those oddities will be addressed again here.**

 **I will see you all at the end! Enjoy!**

* * *

"Thank god… I'm exhausted." Rin took a seat to rest. Everyone seemed to have a similar reaction.

"But… why is the conflict over now of all times…?" Saber asked, somewhat confused.

"I… can't say myself… perhaps the Holy Grail no longer had the power to maintain itself with the corruption cleared…" Caster commented.

"Or maybe the victor was decided." Gilgamesh stood at the edge of the impact area where Shirou and Touma landed. Index backed up as the King of Heroes reached down and lifted up Touma by his left arm before tossing him aside and out of the hole.

"Hey! Be careful with him!" Index shouted.

"He is not some kind of fragile commodity. If he were so weak as to be killed by that then he would have expired long ago." Gilgamesh replied, justifying his actions.

"Figures that you're still here…" Shirou stated as he sat up, starting to pull himself out of the hole in the ground.

"As long as servants have their contracts, they will still receive mana. As long as they receive mana, they will continue to exist." Saber stated, drawing her sword once more, aiming it at Gilgamesh cautiously. Gilgamesh eyed her for a moment before smirking.

"Put that away." He said. "We all have more important things to focus on right now."

"Bullshit." Shirou said. "Don't think we have forgotten what happened only a few years ago you bastard."

"If you want to die, then I am more than happy to accommodate you, Faker." Gilgamesh replied. "If not… then fate has smiled upon you. I have found myself in an elated mood; there are much more important things to deal with than killing you, so count your blessings… for it won't happen again."

"He's… just going to let us walk…?" Rin asked in a quiet tone.

"…I think he may just be sick of all the fighting…" Assassin answered.

"If that is the case… think we should let it go for now. Everyone is exhausted… if he shows up again, we can deal with him then." Shirou stated. His tone gave off the impression that he didn't like the decision, but he felt it was time for at least a brief rest from combat.

"If you say so…" Rin didn't seem convinced, but accepted Shirou's reasoning anyway. "What happens now?"

"Spirits who wish to depart break their contracts, and masters who do not desire a servant do the same." Assassin stated. "Otherwise servants will stay in this world."

"…I feel like you're telling us that for a reason beyond just giving information." Shirou stated. Assassin nodded in response. "…I see. You're going to head out, aren't you?"

"…I'm sorry, Shirou." Assassin stated. He threw his hood back and undid the cloth around his head, showing his face once more. "As much as I'm sure you'd like to be with him again… this world isn't mine; I can't take his place."

"I know." Shirou replied. "I guess… I kind of figured I'd have more time…"

"He… I thought that too." Assassin replied. "…For what little its worth; I'm proud of you. You've grown into a fine man. I hope you can forgive the actions I took earlier on in this crisis…"

"Don't worry about it." Shirou replied. "It's just… it was really good to see you again." The two shared a moment with another as father and son for a time.

"Kiritsugu… it's time to go." Caster called out.

"I know, Iri…" Assassin walked over next to Caster.

"You're going too?" Index asked.

"I'm sorry, Index-san…" Caster gave a sad smile. "With the grail gone, I don't have much time left. I was already drained as it was; Tohsaka-san was just barely able to keep me alive…"

"…I understand…" Index replied. "I-I know you can't be summoned normally, but if you somehow find yourself here again, try to swing by! I'm sure Touma will make something amazing for you! So… so visit… if you can…" Index trailed off, speaking in a low tone. She let out a small yelp when Caster suddenly hugged her, holding her up lightly.

"Of course! I loved my time with you both! And Othinus too! I wouldn't miss it for the world!" Caster answered in a happy tone.

"You promise…?" Index asked.

"I promise. I will make every effort that I am capable of to see you again." Caster replied.

"…Ok!" Index smiled and Caster set her back down. "I hope you have a safe trip back! Stay safe!"

Index and Shirou watched as their servants stood next to each other, locking their hands together for the last time, and then vanished into an array of lights. The command seals vanished along with them.

"…I still don't understand what's happening here…" Mikoto suddenly spoke up.

"I'll explain it later… maybe we can…" Index trailed off. "…Maybe discuss it at Touma's apartment sometime?"

"H-his home…?" Mikoto turned a shade of red. "N-no way… I don't think I could…"

"It'll be fine! I… just think Touma would… like it more if we got along better… so…" Index trailed off again.

"…He has been through a lot recently…" Mikoto crossed her arms, still blushing. "…Alright, at his place… after he wakes up." She finished. Index gave a smile and Mikoto returned it.

"I suppose that's where this little adventure ends." Lancer commented, holding his lance across his back, as he stood next to Fiamma.

"…Tell me, was I really that bad of a master?" Fiamma asked. Lancer chucked lightly.

"I still don't like your tactics… but I may have been a bit hard on you." Lancer replied cheerfully. "I still am disappointed I couldn't get my hands on a cute girl for a master, that's the only real other complaint I got about how this turned out I guess."

"If only we all were so lucky." Fiamma replied. He held up his command seal and with a small spell it was wiped clean. "I transferred their mana to you directly; you should have enough mana to stay in this world unhindered for about a day… enjoy a small bit of this world before you vanish from it once more."

"Heh… if only you gave me orders like that more often." Lancer replied. "What's next for you then?"

"I still have some business to take care of…" Fiamma replied. "In a world like this, the next tragedy is right around the corner."

"Like I said… the world is a violent place regardless of the era..." Lancer stated. "Take care." And with that, Lancer vanished into his spirit form. How he would entertain himself was a mystery. Shortly after, Fiamma vanished as well.

"It would seem this is where our partnership ends as well… it's too bad; I was growing rather fond of this land." Rider stated.

"I'm surprised you're not trying to convince me to let you stay." Accelerator said.

"It is not that don't desire to; it's just simply with the Holy Grail's influence you do not have the mana needed to sustain me!" Rider cheerfully replied. Accelerator clicked his teeth.

"Makes fuckin sense… magic is really a pain in the ass." Accelerator spat. Rider moved so he was standing in front on Accelerator.

"I suppose I only have one more thing left..." Rider began. "Accelerator! You have proven yourself not only a powerful man, but a respectable and intelligent one! In my conquest, one such as you is invaluable; will you reconsider my offer to join my ranks?"

"…Not interested." Accelerator replied. Rider smiled regardless.

"I was expecting that… I just had to try one last time." Rider said in his defeat. Accelerator eyed his servant for a moment.

"…One time." Accelerator held up a single finger. "If you find yourself back here, either alive again to conquer the world or as a servant in another war; if there is an opponent you absolutely cannot defeat or an empire you cannot dominate, seek me out. One time and only one time, I will devastate them to secure a victory in your conquest, you giant bastard."

Rider grinned wide.

"Agreed!" Rider held out his hand. Accelerator smirked and shook it. "It has been an honor to fight at your side, my friend! I look forward to the next time we find each other on the field of battle!" With that Rider vanished without a trace. Slowly, Accelerator made his way down the street on his own way home, satisfied with the outcome and feeling his presence was no longer needed.

"Man… everyone is leaving, nya…" Tsuchimikado commented.

"The party is over… at least it was fun." Thor stated.

"I have to ask… someone as big of a profile as you these days after the Othinus incident, how do you sneak into Academy City?" Tsuchimikado asked. "With Fiamma it makes sense; not so much with you."

"That is an entirely different adventure." Thor replied. Berserker walked over and stood next to Thor, letting out a rumble as he tried to speak. Thor smiled at him. "It's that time already huh…"

"…I also want to know how you can understand him…" Tsuchimikado admitted.

"He is saying that it is time for him to depart… as is mine." Archer spoke up. "We just have some business to take care of before we do so."

"…Alright. Pay some respects to your king and rest up. You never know when you'll be needed again." Tsuchimikado replied.

"You too, Berserker." Thor spoke. "It's been a blast! Have a good rest!"

The two servants made their way over to Saber, who was standing near Rin and Shirou. Thor watched for a time before making his own departure. The next opponent was waiting for him somewhere in the world, after all.

"My king… the long-fought battle is won." Archer began. "Shall we retire for a time?" Saber seemed to eye them both for a moment before smiling.

"You two can go on ahead." Saber replied. "I will return when the time is right."

"Of course your majesty…" Archer kneeled and bowed down, as did Berserker. Shortly afterward the two faded away as well.

"Well Saber… I guess it's our time to part ways too, huh…" Rin stated.

"There is too much to do before that… unless you want me gone of course." Saber replied.

"N-no! Of course not! I just wasn't sure…" Rin scratched her cheek lightly. "What… exactly is there left to do…?"

"Firstly, after all we have been through, I feel some kind of celebration is in order." Saber replied. "Secondly… I don't feel comfortable leaving while Gilgamesh is still here… especially with proximity to our friend Touma…"

"…True; he is still here… I don't feel comfortable either with him so close to Kamijou-san either…" Shirou added. Saber seemed to eye the resting Touma for a moment before shifting her attention back to the two in front of her.

"And thirdly… well… actually… with all this talk of selfish desires, I was hoping that you'd grant one of my own." Saber replied. "I know my upkeep will increase without the grail being active…" Saber continued. "You both study magecraft at Clock Tower in London, correct? Even if it were only temporary, I would very much like to see my homeland once more."

"You want to stay with us…?" Rin asked. Saber nodded.

"Please; I know it is an inconvenience, but I would appreciate it very much…" Saber stated.

"…Emiya-kun, we need to save up for a two bedroom apartment. It looks like we're going to have a roommate!" Rin replied. Saber smiled cheerfully seeing her request granted. Shirou joined in the conversation as they tried to sort things out.

Only one servant remained.

Touma awoke a short time later on a damaged bench. It would seem that after everything, Gilgamesh moved his body. He slowly sat up as he heard a voice.

"Finally awake? You rest soundly regardless of the accommodations, don't you?" Gilgamesh stated.

"…There was a section of my life where I had to sleep in a bath tub. You learn to adapt." Touma replied. He looked around to see the other servants depart. "…So what happened…?"

"You won." Gilgamesh answered. "You won the war and ended it, and without the grail sustaining them all, most of the servants are returning from whence they came. Congratulations; you bested all of the odds and claimed the grail for yourself… too bad it crumbled to dust in your hand."

"…Hah, I fight for a wish granting device and I end up destroying it; sounds about right." Touma replied in a joking tone. "Oh well; that was the main goal anyway. Hopefully now if there ever is another grail war it won't be a risk to the world."

"Only time will tell." Gilgamesh replied. "Well; are you satisfied with the results?"

"I suppose…" Touma replied. "Well; with the servants heading back… what about you?"

"Please; I might as well live once more." Gilgamesh replied. "I saw that thing that lives in your arm… I believe that beast is the one responsible for giving me mana, whatever it is… as long as we're connected, I can exist indefinitely thanks to that monster's supply."

"…You know; I can just destroy the last two seals with my right hand." Touma retorted.

"I can conserve enough mana to last for at least a decade… and by that time I will have discovered a way to supply myself. Your threat is pointless, boy." Gilgamesh shot back.

"…Such misfortune." Touma rubbed his neck. "So; what are you going to do then? Going to try and purge the world some more?"

"…No. For that I need the grail; there doesn't exist a way to do so otherwise… aside from Solomon's Noble Phantasm, but he's dead as we all know." Gilgamesh replied.

"Well… then what?" Touma asked.

"I said before… I want to see your ideal fully realized. What better way is there than to see how you change the world first hand?" Gilgamesh replied.

"…You're going to stick with me?" Touma asked.

"In a sense. You truly do wish to protect this world… so I think I will discover why." Gilgamesh replied, crossing his arms. "The existence of the mongrels of this world disgusts me… but clearly they must have some value that I am unable to see if someone like you, who had started life over again from a completely blank slate, finds them worthy of protection… so I shall determine that value myself. I have only seen what exists within Fuyuki city and only small portions of Academy City, I must admit… so I wonder if the rest of the world has anything to offer me…"

"Kamijou-san… do you really think that's wise?" Shirou asked as everyone remaining moved to rejoin Touma. "I don't like the idea of Gilgamesh wandering the world with a limitless mana supply…" Gilgamesh only smirked, which caused Shirou to grit his teeth.

"…As long as he doesn't cause any trouble, I don't have any real complaints." Touma replied.

"You speak as though you have a method to stop me, boy." Gilgamesh retorted.

"I have an idea…" Touma started. "Before, when my hand touched you, the Holy Grail was anchoring you to this world. But right now though… I think the result would be a little bit different. The command seals may be the next thing chaining you here, but that's an easy problem to fix for someone like me, and without those, you wouldn't have anything left binding you to this world." Touma turned to face the King of Heroes. "Go ahead and explore the world as much as you want, but if you cause anyone any trouble or get involved in some kind of big conflict, I'll hunt you down myself."

"Is that a threat…?" Gilgamesh asked, narrowing his eyes.

"It's a promise." Touma replied. The two eyed each other for a time until Gilgamesh began to laugh.

"That sudden ferocity catches me off guard every time…" Gilgamesh replied with a smirk. "Very well! I will heed your warning, Kamijou Touma! The next time we meet I shall test you personally. Until then… do keep yourself alive; it would be unfortunate if you were to expire at the hands of someone other than me." Gilgamesh then faded into his spirit form, vanishing and leaving the area.

"Listen… I know he wound up as your servant and all… but do you really think that was a good idea…?" Rin asked. "I mean… we told you what he's done in the past…"

"I know… he's done a lot just because he doesn't like the world or the people in it…" Touma replied. "…But what I'm hoping for is that he can at least understand what I see in the world, and even if that doesn't change his nature, if he can see what I see, then I don't think he will be a problem in the long run." Touma turned to face the group. "If it ends up being a mistake, I'll correct it; you don't have to worry."

"…Don't worry about it." Saber spoke. "It was your judgement, so we shall respect it. If it ends up being incorrect, then we will be at your side to assist you in correcting your mistake."

"Yeah; if it ends up being a blunder, you better come talk to us." Shirou stated. "He's not just your problem; he's been a pain for us too. I understand where you're coming from, but if he ends up being a threat again, I want a piece of him too."

"Yeah, I understand… I don't think I'd be able to do anything to make up for it all afterward though…" Touma rubbed the back of his head.

"We all make mistakes I guess… we just share the hope that your judgement is right I guess." Rin replied.

"…Thanks. For everything." Touma said. The trio smiled in response. Seeing the last bit of the event taken care of, Tsuchimikado departed himself, leaving the group alone.

"Touma…" Index called out. "…Can we head home now?" She asked in a tired tone. It must have been five in the morning by now and the lack of sleep was starting to get to her.

"I suppose it's time… past time actually." Touma replied. "Hey, how long do you think you three will be in the city?"

"Probably until the weekend… we will need to head back to Clock Tower… it's a shame we couldn't find time to head back to Fuyuki City to visit everyone…" Rin commented.

"Oh well... maybe next year." Shirou replied.

"I see… if you guys want, meet me at my place whenever you think you can make it so we can celebrate properly." Touma offered.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" Shirou replied. And with that the group split off for a final time.

How Academy City officials spun the events of the last confrontation was interesting to say the least.

They linked it to the building destruction from the other day. Their explanation revolved around a terrorist group using hologram technology and explosives to fool citizens into thinking some kind of demonic invasion was happening. They reasoned that they were using this as a front to pilfer technology from another location while Anti-Skill dealt with the attack.

Conveniently, all those involved were killed either through combat or suicide, supposedly. Just as conveniently, there was no trace left behind of what truly happened.

Fiamma escaped Academy City without much fanfare or hardship. After the incident, Anti-Skill was mobilized not only to secure the destroyed areas, but to search the city high and low for a perpetrator; and it would appear that the higher ups considered Fiamma responsible after receiving a report of a Board Director being held-up by him, but Academy City forces found little to no trace of the former leader of God's Right Seat. It could be assumed that Aleister had much more important things at the time due to his acquisition of five rings of God from Solomon; otherwise he could have taken care of the situation himself.

Thor departed as well just as quietly. With his thirst for battle satisfied for the moment, he had little reason to remain in Academy City. He did not leave empty handed however, especially after meeting someone who could match him in battle, and even best him in combat. In the future, Clock Tower would receive several reports of a blond male attempting to gain entry to challenge this person, and while Thor's attempts wouldn't result in much progress, the mages at Clock Tower could never quite capture him.

There were only a few loose ends that needed to be wrapped up.

"So, the war is over, a self-summoning servant is dead again, and another Magic God is disposed of." Tsuchimikado leaned against a railing of a bridge, talking on his cell phone. "So… why exactly are you calling me again? You already have Solomon's rings; what more do you want?"

"An offer." A voice on the other side of the line spoke. "Susanoo mentioned that he was trying to awaken his family… it would appear we found their resting place."

"Killing Magic Gods is more than a tad difficult, you know…" Tsuchimikado replied.

"I have a few ways… research has opened up more than a few possibilities to resolve this issue before they awaken like Susanoo did…" The voice replied. "It's your decision if you wish to decline."

"So you want me to be a guinea pig… alright, I get you." Tsuchimikado replied. "I suppose that's fine… considering what could have happened with Susanoo doing as he pleased, dealing with his siblings would be best for everyone…"

Tsuchimikado paused for a moment, a thought popped into his mind.

"…I'll do it, but I have something I need to know first." He asked. He heard nothing from the other side, though the ambient noises let him know that he was still connected. Taking this as a sign, he continued. "Solomon had a reason, with him being a natural outlier due to his status, and even Artoria Pendragon had one too due to her unique status… but I noticed something unusual. All of those servants who were summoned before had memories of past Grail Wars that they participated in… which I find more than a tad peculiar, since servants are actually created using the Heroic Spirit as a base… so they should only have memories they possessed in life."

He only heard an amused chuckle from the other side of the line.

"…What the hell did you do? This slapdash of a Grail War may have just been bait so you could get your hands on Solomon, but this goes above and beyond that… just how much of this did you plan, Aleister…?"

"You know… conventional fire-arms are normally unable to harm servants…" Aleister replied.

"…So you were pulling the strings behind that assault, huh?" Tsuchimikado replied, referring to the detachment that had tried to assault Touma and put him into the hospital. "You were after Solomon's rings… just what the hell were you trying to accomplish…?"

"Call it one last curiosity…" Aleister replied. "When servants die, their essence becomes one with the Holy Grail… and I wondered if anything else was kept inside. So I did a little bit of digging when Hayden casted his spell and found something… those memories being released to the spirits is a result of that, and I dare say it helped guide these events quite well… it may have even, "updated," the Throne of Heroes' information on them, but we will have to wait and see if that hypothesis holds true or not."

"What is in the past is supposed to be set in stone, including the spirits of the dead… to make a change like that… what the hell did you find?" Tsuchimikado asked. At that moment the line was cut. Tsuchimikado pulled his phone back as his mind wandered his thoughts. He received an email after a short time detailing his next job. Tsuchimikado bit his lip in apparent frustration.

Regardless of the reason for the unusual events, the answers for his questions weren't going to be delivered anytime soon. With that Tsuchimikado started to walk down the street as began to prepare himself for his next job. He didn't like Academy City's jobs, but the money was good.

He had a certain maid-in-training to support, after all.

Shirou, Rin, and Saber met with Touma and Index at his apartment like they agreed. Othinus landed on Touma's shoulder as the group went out to enjoy the entertainment and commodities Academy City had to offer.

They paid a visit to Academy City's own amusement park, a variety of restaurants, and shopping centers, and even tucked away special locations that Touma knew of due to his knowledge of the city. On the last day before the group would have to leave for Clock Tower, they even decided to hit up the arcade, where Rin once again dominated at the competitive fighting games.

At least until she met her match with the sudden appearance of Misaka Mikoto.

Eventually, the sun started to set and it was growing close to the time of Shirou, Rin, and Saber's flight.

"Packing two weeks' worth of fun into a few days is tough work…" Touma sighed.

"We really did give you the run around… huh." Rin rubbed the back of her head.

"I stand by what I said at the start of this… Academy City is good to visit, but I don't think I could live here." Shirou stated.

"You just need to get to know a few people and learn your way around the city, and then you'll be fine." Touma replied.

"I have to make trips to Europe every now and then for official business… if I find time I'll try and see you all!" Index said happily.

"Of course. If we happen to visit this city again, we will be sure to visit you guys too." Rin replied.

"Just don't bring a war with you next time." Othinus stated.

"Trust me… we're not trying to." Shirou rubbed his neck.

"Touma." Saber called out. "I'm sure Shirou and Rin have provided a way to contact us, correct?"

"Yeah… of course, why?" Touma asked.

"Be sure to use it. It would be sad to think that this would be the final day that we spoke." Saber replied.

"I had already intended to keep in touch…" Touma replied rubbing the back of his head.

"I just wanted to make sure; I meant no disrespect." Saber replied. "Don't hesitate to call if you need something. Be it just to talk, needing advice, or requiring assistance, we will help however we can." She then smiled warmly at Touma. "Even if all you need to do is get something off your chest, I'll be more than happy to listen; I understand how it is to have a heavy burden placed upon you, so I will assist you however I can."

"O-oh… o-ok! I'll keep that in mind… thank you, Sab-… well… Artoria-san!" Touma said, rubbing the back of his head again as he decided to use Saber's proper name. She was caught off guard, but she quickly smiled again.

"…I don't think it was just Gilgamesh who took a shine to Kamijou-san…" Rin whispered into Shirou's ear.

"…No way… I think it's her just understanding Kamijou-san's circumstances." Shirou whispered back. After a short time he put his hand to his chin, as if thinking. "…But now that I think about it… do you think she could actually…?"

"…We will have plenty of time to grill her about it later, figure out what really is going on inside her head…" Rin whispered a final time; her tone sounding much more devious. This mystery appeared to be an adventure for another time.

"Anyway..." Touma poke up again. "Remember; I gave you guys my number too, so try to keep in touch, ok? And if you need help with something, don't hesitate to give me a call too. I'll try to help however I can."

"I was going to tell you the same thing. It sounds like you find yourself in more bad situations than I do anyway." Shirou replied, quickly re-entering the conversation.

"Ha-ha… funny." Touma replied.

"Alright, we get it. You're both heroes who will save each other." Rin mocked.

"…I'm not a hero." Touma refuted. Shirou only laughed lightly in response.

A voice sounded over-head, announcing that a flight had just started boarding.

"Well… I guess this is goodbye." Shirou said. He held out his hand.

"At least until the next time we see each other. You take care of yourself, ok?" Touma shook his hand.

"You bet. We'll see you later!" Shirou replied. With that the two groups made their final goodbyes as they separated to return to their normal lives, save for a few changes left over from their adventure.

And with that, The Illegal Grail War had truly come to a close.

* * *

 **Welcome to the bottom.**

 **And that was the Illegal Grail War! Personally I feel like it's the best story I've written, but in the end it is you guys who are the final judge in that regard.**

 **And in the spirit of that; please review! Please tell me how I did, things you think I did well, and things you think I was lacking. Criticism is the key to growth after all.**

 **That said... I currently don't have a story in the works, so it may be some time before a story from me appears once more, but we will see.**

 **Anyway, thank you for reading, I really appreciate it.**

 **Take it easy my friends!**


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